Agent Orange

From LF Wiki

Agent Orange (2-4-5-T) is a dioxin classified as a herbicide that was widely used by the US government in the Vietnam War. Since it is labeled an herbicide, it does not qualify for biological weapon status.

US warplanes dumped 70 million litres of the defoliant on Vietnamese forests between 1962 and 1971. According to the post-war Vietnamese government, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, and 500,000 children born with birth defects.

Contents 1 Companies involved 1.1 Workers affected 2 Diseases linked to AO 2.1 Cancers 2.2 Non-cancerous diseases 3 Gallery 4 External Links

[edit] Companies involved

This is a list of American companies who produced Agent Orange for use in the Vietnam War.

• Dow Chemical Company - Major producer
  • Official Statement Does not admit effects: "Today, the scientific consensus ... doesn’t show that Agent Orange caused veteran’s illnesses."
• Monsanto Company - Major producer
  • Official Statement Does not even mention the effects: "Research on the issue of Agent Orange has gone on for decades and continues today."
• Hercules Inc. - Now owned by Ashland Inc.
• Diamond Shamrock Chemicals Company - Now known as Ultramar Diamond Shamrock
• Uniroyal Chemical Company Inc. - Now owned by Chemtura
• Thompson Chemicals
• T-H Agriculture & Nutrition

[edit] Workers affected

• 1949 - Monsanto-owned plant in Nitro, West Virginia exploded; 228 workers developed Chloracne.
• 1953 - Chloracne was found among the male workers and many of their wives, children and pets at a BASF (Badischer Anilin & Soda Fabrik)-owned plant at Ludwigshaften am Rhein in Germany.
  • The factory exploded months later; in medical examinations, some workers were found to have severely damaged internal organs including the liver. Heightened blood pressure, myocardial degeneration, severe depression, memory and concentration disturbances were also observed.
• 1963 - A factory owned by Philips Duphar in Amsterdam, Holland exploded. Fifty workers developed Chloracne, suffered internal damage, and serious psychological disturbances; the factory was closed. It later had to be cemented and buried at sea due to contamination.
• 1964 - Dow Chemical experienced an outbreak of Chloracne among 70 workers at one 2-4-5-T plant.
  • Dow's director of its Midland Division, Dr. Benjamin Holder, described the symptoms as fatigue, lassitude, depression, blackheads (prevalent on the face, neck, and back), and weight loss. Heavy exposure, Dr. Holder said, could lead to internal organ damage and nervous system disorders.

[edit] Diseases linked to AO

The following is a list compiled by Veterans Affairs of diseases linked to Agent Orange

[edit] Cancers

[edit] Non-cancerous diseases

• Peripheral neuropathy (acute and subacute)
• Chloracne
• Porphyria cutanea tarda
• Diabetes Type II
• Spina bifida

[edit] Gallery

Agent Orange Victims (expanded pictures more gruesome)

Eva Cheng, a third generation victim of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Children affected by Agent Orange. No foreign victims have been compensated. Brothers believed to have been affected. Born without eyes.

[edit] External Links

• body building
• VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR, INC. - AGENT ORANGE INFORMATION PACKAGE
• Vanity Fair's picture slideshow on Agent Orange
• A flickr page with more pictures & their stories
• Dow wants to bring a variant of Agent Orange back