Vietnam - Belgium join hands for an environment free of dioxin residue

Photo caption — Spraying and treating dioxin at Bien Hoa airport. Photo: Cong Phong/VNA

Many areas across the country still have contaminated soil, seriously affecting people's lives. In its efforts to overcome the consequences of war, Vietnam has been receiving active cooperation and support from the international community, including the Kingdom of Belgium - a goodwill and responsible partner.

According to a VNA reporter in Brussels, at the research facility of Haemers Technologies SA (Belgium), experts are focusing on researching and perfecting the technology to treat dioxin-contaminated soil using the high-temperature thermal decomposition method. Accordingly, contaminated soil is put into a closed treatment system, where dioxin is completely decomposed without releasing solid, liquid or gaseous waste into the environment.

Engineer Ysaline Depasse, in charge of the company’s contaminated soil treatment technology, introduces the treatment system at the factory. According to her, the equipment operates on the principle of direct heating into the ground through heat pipes inserted deep into the contaminated area. The heat from the burners vaporizes the toxic compounds, which are then collected and completely burned in a gas treatment chamber to remove the dioxin.

“The depth of the heat pipe system is flexibly adjusted depending on the location and characteristics of the pollution source, which can range from 2 meters to 30 meters. In addition, the number of burners at the construction site is also optimized through computer simulation to ensure a balance between processing time, fuel consumption and operating costs,” said Ms. Depasse.

Speaking to VNA reporters, Mr. Jan Haemers, CEO of Haemers Technologies, said the company's exclusive technology is based on the thermal desorption method. The system heats the soil to high temperatures to evaporate toxic compounds, then collects and burns them at temperatures up to 1,200°C, completely destroying dioxin.

The technology has been tested at Bien Hoa airport under the supervision of the Ministry of National Defense and Vietnamese authorities. The project, which received financial support from the Aquitara Impact I Investment Fund (Belgium), completed the pilot phase successfully in 2022 and is awaiting approval for scale-up. Mr. Haemers emphasized that in addition to providing technology, the company focuses on transferring techniques to Vietnamese engineers, helping them master the process and ensuring long-term sustainability.

This spirit of cooperation was clearly demonstrated at the Vietnam - Belgium cooperation workshop on dioxin treatment, organized by the Belgium - Vietnam Alliance (BVA) in Brussels. Here, experts, businesses and investment funds shared experiences and discussed solutions to expand the project. According to Mr. Haemers, the company's technology not only thoroughly treats contaminated soil in Bien Hoa but also has the ability to regenerate soil, turning contaminated soil into a resource that can be used for agriculture, contributing to creating dual environmental and economic value.

Looking back at the implementation process, Mr. Haemers said that the project encountered many difficulties due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic when it started in 2020. However, the proactive and responsible spirit of Vietnamese engineers helped the project overcome obstacles and achieve better results than expected. He affirmed: "We did not come here just to handle the problem, but more importantly, to transfer technology. Only when Vietnamese people master the technique, will the recovery be truly sustainable."

Aquitara Impact I Fund representative, Mr. Franc Bogovic, said that the fund aims at a dual goal: both cleaning up the environment and promoting socio-economic development. A typical model is An Vui Mart in Dong Nai - where families of Agent Orange victims directly participate in the operation. This model helps create stable livelihoods and supports their integration into the community. After 8 weeks of operation, An Vui Mart has recorded positive results, demonstrating the ability to harmoniously combine environmental restoration and human development.

In addition to the support of businesses, many Belgian individuals have also made practical contributions to Vietnam. For more than a decade, Ms. Chris Geyskens, President of the Belgian Branch of the International Association for Victims of Agent Orange Vietnam - Hoi An, has maintained the organization of the annual "Vietnam Ambassador's Cup in Belgium" charity golf tournament, raising funds to support house building and livelihoods for families of Agent Orange victims. She expressed her hope that these activities will help the younger generation of Europe better understand the consequences of war in Vietnam, thereby spreading the spirit of humanity and social responsibility.

On the Belgian side, Mr. Andries Gryffroy, First Vice President of the Senate and President of the BVA, said that Belgium is the first country in the world to recognize Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. He highly appreciated the cooperation process between the two countries, emphasizing that the two sides are currently finalizing financial conditions and negotiating land use rights to expand the scale of the project. Mr. Gryffroy emphasized: “After the war, the most important thing is the spirit of resilience. Vietnam has clearly demonstrated that through proactive international cooperation to overcome the consequences and develop sustainably.”

Thanks to close coordination between the governments, businesses and social organizations of the two countries, dioxin-contaminated soil remediation projects in Vietnam are gradually moving from the pilot phase to actual implementation. Many heavily contaminated areas are being revived, while livelihood support models for Agent Orange victims have contributed to bringing new opportunities to thousands of households.

These efforts not only demonstrate the effectiveness of advanced technology and the spirit of international cooperation, but also open up a future of sustainable development, where the environment, economy and people are restored together. From lands once stained with pain, green shoots of hope are gradually emerging, symbolizing the resilient spirit of Vietnam and the strong friendship between Vietnam and the Kingdom of Belgium.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/viet-nam-bi-chung-tay-vi-mot-moi-truong-khong-con-di-chung-dioxin-20251009073107781.htm