[CPEO-MEF] HERBICIDES, GLOBAL: "Air Force aircraft returned from Vietnam identified as postwar source of Agent Orange contamination"

[Lenny Siegel <LSiegel@cpeo.org>]

Air Force aircraft returned from Vietnam identified as postwar source of Agent Orange contamination

Science Codex
February 21, 2014

Amsterdam  – From 1971-1982 Air Force reservists, who flew in about 34 dioxin-contaminated aircraft used to spray Agent Orange and returned to the US following discontinuation of the herbicide spraying operations in the Vietnam War, were exposed greater levels of dioxin than previously acknowledged, according to a study published today in Environmental Research.

"These findings are important because they describe a previously unrecognized source of exposure to dioxin that has health significance to those who engaged in the transport work using these aircraft," says lead investigator Peter A. Lurker, PhD, PE, CIH, an environmental engineer with many years of experience evaluating environmental exposures in the Air Force.

During the Vietnam War, in an operation known as "Operation Ranch Hand," approximately 20 million gallons of herbicides, including around 10.5 million gallons of dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange, were sprayed by about 34 C-123 aircraft. These aircraft were subsequently returned to the US and were used by Air Force reserve units between 1971 and 1982 for transport operations. After many years without monitoring, tests revealed the presence of dioxin (also known as TCDD). All but three of the aircraft were smelted down in 2009.

…

For the entire article, see
http://www.sciencecodex.com/air_force_aircraft_returned_from_vietnam_identified_as_postwar_source_of_agent_orange_contamination-128395

For a link to the original article, go to
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935114000255

--

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650-961-8918 or 650-969-1545
Fax: 650-961-8918
LSiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org




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