Viet Nam has experienced the worst dioxin pollution in the world. Large quantities of herbicides, most of which were contaminated with dioxin, were used in the armed conflict over the period of 1961-1971. The soil dioxin concentration in sprayed areas has declined to background level; however, a few sites at the airports where the herbicides, mainly Agent Orange (AO), were stored and/or handled are still highly contaminated. To date, dioxin ‘hotspots’ with contamination levels exceeding national dioxin limits (1,000 pg I-TEQ/g) have been identified on three airports that were used as military bases during the war, namely Bien Hoa, Da Nang and Phu Cat airbase.
UNDP has been involved in the AO area since 2005 and has supported the Vietnam Government to conduct surveys related to the assessment of dioxin contamination in the environment at 3 hotspots. Results obtained not only provide fundamental materials for design of a detailed remediation plan for Danang airbase, but also assisted with development of the National Action Plan to Overcome Consequences of Herbicides/dioxin up to 2020
The project “Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contaminated Hotspots in Viet Nam” funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNDP has been approved and launched since 2010. The objective of the project is “to minimize the disruption of ecosystems and health risks for people from environmental releases of TCDD contaminated hotspots”. The project has three (3) main outcomes :
1.Dioxin in core hotspot areas contained and remediated;
2.Land-use on and around hotspots eliminates risks and contributes to environmental recovery, and
3.Strengthened national regulations and institutional capacities.
The project achieved the key following outputs after 4 years of implementation:
-Development of Remediation Master Plan for Bien Hoa
-Complete interim measures to prevent dioxin release to the area surrounding Phu Cat airbase. 70,000 m3 of dioxin contaminated soil was contained safely and environmentally in 2011
-Pilot demonstration of MCD technology at practical scale in Bien Hoa in 2012.
-Completed interim measures to prevent dioxin release to areas surrounding Bien Hoa airbase at the beginning of 2014
-A number of communication activities and publications were prepared to provide information to the local people and stakeholders
-Supported the Government on studies and issued dioxin guidelines for different land use purposes
-Capacity building on dioxin management for Government staff and others
The Project is looking for a qualified national consultant to evaluate the Project’s impacts to the environment and local people. This national consultant will cooperate with a selected international consultant in this activity.
Please see Terms of reference (TOR) [1] for more details.
All interested national candidates are invited to send application letter and CV in English to the address below.
Dr. Nguyen My Hang, Project Manager at [email protected]
Dioxin Project Management Unit
#714, NARENCA building, 85 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da, Ha Noi
Tel: 377 38760
Deadline: 17h00 April 11st, 2014