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The extent and patterns of usage of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam

Author

Listed:
  • Jeanne Mager Stellman

    (Columbia University)

  • Steven D. Stellman

    (Columbia University
    Institute for Cancer Prevention)

  • Richard Christian
  • Tracy Weber

    (Columbia University)

  • Carrie Tomasallo

    (Columbia University)

Abstract

Herbicides including Agent Orange were sprayed by United States forces for military purposes during the Vietnam War (1961–1971) at a rate more than an order of magnitude greater than for similar domestic weed control. In 1974, the US National Academy of Sciences published estimates of the extent and distribution of herbicides sprayed. Here we present revised estimates, developed using more-complete data. The spray inventory is expanded by more than seven million litres, in particular with heavily dioxin-contaminated herbicides. Estimates for the amount of dioxin sprayed are almost doubled. Hamlet census data reveal that millions of Vietnamese were likely to have been sprayed upon directly. Our identification of specific military herbicide targets has led to a more coherent understanding of spraying. Common errors in earlier interpretations of the spray data are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeanne Mager Stellman & Steven D. Stellman & Richard Christian & Tracy Weber & Carrie Tomasallo, 2003. "The extent and patterns of usage of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam," Nature, Nature, vol. 422(6933), pages 681-687, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:422:y:2003:i:6933:d:10.1038_nature01537
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01537
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Le, Duong Trung & Pham, Thanh Minh & Polachek, Solomon, 2022. "The long-term health impact of Agent Orange: Evidence from the Vietnam War," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    2. Kiely, Sean F. & Kiesel, Kristin, 2023. "Motivated Reasoning, Biased Beliefs, and Consumer Valuations of Vegetable Labels in Vietnam," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335702, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Wanhyung Lee & Ui-Jin Kim & Seunghon Ham & Won-Jun Choi & Seunghyun Lee & Jin-Ha Yoon & Seong-Kyu Kang, 2022. "Cohort Profile: The Korean Vietnam War Veterans’ Health Study Cohort (KOVECO)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-7, April.
    4. Michael Palmer & Cuong Nguyen & Sophie Mitra & Daniel Mont & Nora Groce, 2016. "The long-term impact of war on health," HiCN Working Papers 216, Households in Conflict Network.
    5. Singhal, Saurabh, 2019. "Early life shocks and mental health: The long-term effect of war in Vietnam," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    6. Thanh P. Bui & Katsushi S. Imai, 2024. "Are There Any Long-Lasting Human-Capital Effects from Exposure to the United States' Herbicide Bombings over Generations? Evidence from the Vietnam War," Economics Discussion Paper Series 2401, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    7. Thanh P. Bui & Katsushi S. Imai, 2024. "Are there any Long-lasting Human-Capital Effects from Exposure to the United States' Herbicide Bombings over Generations? Evidence from the Vietnam War," Discussion Paper Series DP2024-06, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    8. Saurabh Singhal, 2018. "Early life shocks and mental health: The long-term effect of war in Vietnam," WIDER Working Paper Series 65, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Nobuaki Yamashita & Trong‐Anh Trinh, 2022. "Long‐Term Effects of Vietnam War: Agent Orange and the Health of Vietnamese People After 30 Years," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 36(2), pages 180-202, June.
    10. Tran Thi Tuyet-Hanh & Le Vu-Anh & Nguyen Ngoc-Bich & Thomas Tenkate, 2010. "Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Dioxin Exposure through Foods in a Dioxin Hot Spot—Bien Hoa City, Vietnam," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-12, May.
    11. Marsha K. Morgan & Nancy K. Wilson & Jane C. Chuang, 2014. "Exposures of 129 Preschool Children to Organochlorines, Organophosphates, Pyrethroids, and Acid Herbicides at Their Homes and Daycares in North Carolina," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-22, April.
    12. Cochard, Roland & Gravey, Mathieu & Rasera, Luiz Gustavo & Mariethoz, Grégoire & Kull, Christian A., 2023. "The nature of a ‘forest transition’ in Thừa Thiên Huế Province, Central Vietnam – A study of land cover changes over five decades," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    13. Alan C. Logan & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Earth Dreams: Reimagining ARPA for Health of People, Places and Planet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Palmer, Michael G., 2005. "The legacy of agent orange: empirical evidence from central Vietnam," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 1061-1070, March.
    15. Dang Ton Nguyen & Hai Ha Nguyen & Thuy Duong Nguyen & Thi Thanh Hoa Nguyen & Kaoru Nakano & Kazuhiro Maejima & Aya Sasaki-Oku & Van Ba Nguyen & Duy Bac Nguyen & Bach Quang Le & Jing Hao Wong & Tatsuhi, 2018. "Whole Genome Sequencing of a Vietnamese Family from a Dioxin Contamination Hotspot Reveals Novel Variants in the Son with Undiagnosed Intellectual Disability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-11, November.
    16. Ralitza Dimova & Ulrike Grote & Arnab Basu, 2022. "Long-term behavioral responses to man-made disasters: Insights from the Agent Orange experiment in Vietnam," TVSEP Working Papers wp-024, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Institute of Development and Agricultural Economics, Project TVSEP.
    17. Appau, Samuelson & Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Smyth, Russell & Trinh, Trong-Anh, 2021. "The long-term impact of the Vietnam War on agricultural productivity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).

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