US announces 29 million USD contract to clean up dioxin at Bien Hoa air base
The US Mission to Vietnam, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), on December 20 announced a new contract worth approximately 29 million USD to clean up dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa air base in the southern province of Dong Nai.
Dioxin treatment at Bien Hoa air base. (Photo: USAID)
Hanoi (VNA) - The US Mission to Vietnam,through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), on December 20announced a new contract worth approximately 29 million USD to clean up dioxincontamination at Bien Hoa air base in the southern province of Dong Nai.
USAID issued the four-year contract for civil works to Vietnamese firm VINAE&C Investment and Construction JSC (VINA E&C).
Under the contract, VINA E&C will complete the excavation of contaminatedsoil on the air base and prepare it for treatment.
“This contract will complete critical preparatory work, pavingthe way for the treatment phase of the project. This marks the largest contractyet by USAID to a local Vietnamese organisation, as we make a concerted effortto build Vietnamese expertise in this nascent area of environmental health andsafety,” Aler Grubbs, USAID/Vietnam Mission Director said in apress release.
USAID and the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence launched the Bien Hoa decontamination project in April 2019. The two sides are working together to remediateapproximately 500,000 cu.m of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment on andaround the Bien Hoa air base.
In June 2022, USAID completed the remediation of the first parcel of land - acommunity lake located outside of Gate 2. The whole project is expected to takethe ministry and US Government 10 years and cost an estimated 450 million USD. TheUS Government’s contribution to date is 163.25 million USD out of a totalexpected contribution of 300 million USD. /.
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Dioxin treatment at Bien Hoa air base. (Photo: USAID) 
