Full Progress Report: April 1, 2017 - June 30, 2017

Full Progress Report: January 1, 2017 - March 31, 2017

Full Progress Report: October 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

Full Progress Report: July 1, 2016 - September 30, 2016

Full Progress Report: April 1, 2016 - June 30, 2016

Progress Highlights: May 1, 2016 - May 31, 2016

• Completed hauling and loading approximately 45,000 cubic meters of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment into the treatment structure for the second and final phase of thermal treatment
• Completed collection of pre-treatment samples from the Phase II soil/sediment as it was loaded into the treatment structure
• Continued to prepare heater wells for Phase II thermal treatment
• Hosted the Phase I Completion and Land Handover event, with U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius and many Government of Vietnam dignitaries including Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam. At the event to announce the successful completion of Phase 1, treated land and soil from the project site was formally accepted by the Government of Vietnam. The Airports Corporation of Vietnam will use the land to construct a new taxiway and plane parking area to support the Danang International Airport expansion planned to prepare for the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). 

Full Progress Report: January 1, 2016 - March 31, 2016 

Progress Highlights: February 1, 2016 - February 29, 2016

• Surveyed the IPTD structure concrete slab, filter sand and top of sheet pile walls.
• Re-graded and filled the sand layer in the IPTD structure in preparation of loading.
• Began hauling, placement and compaction of Phase 2 dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment into the IPTD structure.
• Conducted safety inspections and gave multiple health and safety trainings.
• Performed dust monitoring throughout the reporting period during all contaminated soil/sediment excavation and transportation activities.

Full Progress Report: October 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015

Full Progress Report: July 1, 2015 - September 30, 2015

Progress Highlights: September 1, 2015 - September 30, 2015

• Prepared liquid vapor treatment plant (LVTP) for shutdown until Phase 2.
• Removed the light weight insulating concrete cap from the IPTD pile.
• Opened up the south wall of the IPTD pile and began removing treated soil and sediment from the IPTD pile.
• Conducted a Data Evaluation Training and Capacity Building workshop in Hanoi.

Progress Highlights: August 1, 2015 - August 31, 2015

• Completed removal of the IPTD system equipment from the top of the IPTD pile.
• Maintained temporary stockpile areas of Phase 2 contaminated sol and sediment on site and installed erosion control measures to prevent migration of contaminants to Sen Lake during the 2015 rainy season.
• Completed additional excavations in portions of Sen Lake and collected confirmatory samples of these areas to ensure excavation goals were achieved.

Progress Highlights: July 1, 2015 - July 31, 2015

• Cooling of Phase 1 treatment soil reached the milestone of 100 degrees Celsius allowing for shut off of the quench water to the ITPD pile.
• Began extracting and cleaning equipment from the IPTD pile 
• Collected 50 soil/sediment confirmation/characterization samples from the excavation areas and eight ambient air samples from the perimeter of the site and around the IPTD structure.

Full Progress Report: April 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015

Progress Highlights: May 1, 2015 - May 31, 2015

• Final sampling results by both USAID and the Government of Vietnam have confirmed that Phase 1 treatment has successfully met the Project's cleanup goal.
• Began cooling the Phase 1 treated soil and sediment within the In-Pile Thermal Desorption (IPTD) structure.
• Continued to conduct excavation and environmental monitoring activities, including the collection of 23 soil/sediment samples and 20 ambient air samples from the limits of active excavation areas, the site perimeter, and around the IPTD structure.
• Finalized construction of the Temporary Soil Stockpile Area (TSSA) II in April 2015.
• Hosted a site visit for the delegation of Charles North, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the USAID Bureau of Economic Growth, Education and Environment.

Progress Highlights: April 1, 2015 - April 30, 2015

• Powered down the In-Pile Thermal Desportion (IPTD) system after initial confirmatory sampling indicated achievement of treatment goals; continued confirmatory sampling to ensure fully successful treatment.
• Continued operating the liquid vapor treatment plant (LVTP).
• Continued excavation-related activities and construction of the Temporary Soil Stockpile Area (TSSA) II.

Full Progress Report: January 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015

Progress Highlights: Feburary 1, 2015 - February 28, 2015

• The Project reached an important health and safety milestone, as acknowledged by the National Safety Council of the United States, for 500,000 hours worked without a recordable or lost-time injury.
• Continued to operate and monitor the IPTD system and liquid vapor treatment plant; installed approximately 460 shortened heaters and began operation of those shortened heaters to expedite heating in the top layer.
• Started construction of new temporary soil storage area and began additional excavation activities. Conducted site inspections and made repairs as needed for temporary soil storage areas as well as erosion control measures in place to prevent offsite migration of contaminants.
• Average pile temperature on 2/28/15: 407 degrees Celsius

Progress Highlights: January 1, 2015 - January 31, 2015

• Continued operation and monitoring of the in-pile thermal desorption treatment system; replaced heater elements; maintained the liquid vapor treatment plant; and raised approximately 1,045 heater elements to deliver more heat to the areas requiring an increase in temperature
• Completed construction of the 30 cm supplemental lightweight insulating concrete cover.
• Began dewatering Sen Lake and the Drainage Ditch in preparation for continued Phase II excavation activities
• Collected five aqueous samples, 13 ambient air samples, and 12 soil samples for environmental monitoring of the Project site
• Average pile temperature on 1/31/15: 368 degrees Celsius

Full Progress Report: October 1, 2014 - December 31,2014

Progress Highlights: December 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

• Continued operation and maintenance of the in-pile thermal desorption (IPTD) treatment system, including replacement of heater elements as needed and installation completion of a high density polyethylene liner over the insulating concrete cap to reduce water infiltration
• Collected 17 ambient air samples and seven water samples as part of the environmental monitoring program of the Project site.
• Provided an overview of the Project to a group of 29 students from the University of Puget Sound, whose focus of study is on environmental impacts as a result of war
• Average pile temperature on 12/31/14: 312 C

Progress Highlights: November 1, 2014 - November 30, 2014

• Maintenance of the treatment system continued, including cap maintenance, the addition of a high-density polyethylene liner and heater element repairs and replacement on top of the in-pile thermal desorption (IPTD) structure. These efforts allowed thermal treatment to advance.
• Environmental monitoring of the Project site continued by USAID contractors and the Vietnam Ministry of National Defense’s Chemical Command and Vietnam Russia Tropical Centre (VRTC) to ensure contaminated soil, sediment, wastewater and dust do not leave the site, as well as to ensure the liquid vapor treatment plant is meeting Vietnamese effluent standards and project action levels.
• Average Pile Temperature: 278 degrees Celsius. (Please note: Thermal treatment is behind schedule (below the remediation temperature goal) largely due to the effects of heavy rains experienced in Danang in late October.)

Progress Highlights: October 1, 2014 to October 30, 2014

• Vice Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Bui Cach Tuyen, toured the remediation site at Danang.
• Weather and storm proofing of equipment and work areas was conducted.
• Average Pile Temperature: 260 degrees Celsius (Please note: Thermal treatment is behind schedule (below the remediation temperature goal) largely due to the effects of heavy rains experienced in Danang in late October.)

Click here for previous progress reports.

See also:

• Project Timeline
• Remediation Areas
• A Description of the Remediation Process
• How Health and Safety Concerns Have Been Addressed
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Key Facts about the Environmental Remediation Project in Danang