Remediating Dioxin Hotspots: The Seductions of Science and Technology for US-Vietnam Reconciliation

The widespread use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War left indelible impacts on the people and environment of Vietnam. Since 2007, after a series of negotiations, the US has provided funding and worked with Vietnamese partners to address the legacy of Agent Orange. One central task is the remediation of dioxin hotspots on former US airbases. Two projects have been implemented thus far. While the Đà Nẵng project concluded in 2018, the Biên Hoà project is currently underway. The closure of the US Agency for International Development and the freezing of US humanitarian aid in early 2025, however, have made the future of US-funded Agent Orange programmes uncertain. This article critically examines the completed project at Đà Nẵng airport. Based on a close reading of the project’s final evaluation report, it examines the seductive qualities of dioxin remediation science and technology for US-Vietnam bilateral relations. I argue that remediation science and technology are seductive to governmental agencies because they render the Agent Orange issue technologically manageable, thus side-stepping the emotional intensity of the legacy and facilitating new ways for US and Vietnam to collaborate. Simultaneously, I show how remediation projects can perpetuate unequal power relations, privilege economic expansion, and engender dependency on the US.