The textile industry is a significant source of nonyphenol and their ethoxylates, which are suggested to be responsible for endocrine disruption in wildlife and humans. This study is a comparison of two conventional wastewater treatment processes in a cotton and a synthetic fiber factory in Vietnam, with regard to the distribution and removal of nonyphenol ethoxylates and nonyphenol throughout each process. Diverse trends in the distribution of nonyphenol ethoxylates in wastewater from factories, distinguished by their raw materials, could be revealed. Primary coagulation might not perfectly facilitate nitrification in the secondary activated sludge process regarding pH. Nevertheless, satisfactory removals were achieved during coagulation and activated sludge processes in both systems. The roles of long hydraulic retention times (21 and 16 h, respectively), low organic loadings (0.1 and 0.2 gCOD/gMLVSS.day, respectively), extended solids retention times (61 and 66 days, respectively), and mixed liquor suspended solids of greater than 2000 mg/L have been demonstrated. The findings provide evidence and a better understanding of nonyphenol ethoxylate and nonyphenol removal efficacy as well as influencing factors in Vietnamese textile wastewater treatment. The results are beneficial for the textile industry in Vietnam regarding investment decisions for wastewater treatment.

The ubiquitous surfactants nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPEOs), which are known as endocrine disrupters, have appeared in the lists of restricted chemical substances, monitoring programs, and environmental quality standards of many countries due to their adverse effects. Recent studies have reported alarming levels of NP, as the final metabolite of NPEOs, in Vietnamese urban waters, whilst response to this issue is negligible. With the aim of addressing how the public perceives and expects to avoid the risk of endocrine disrupting surfactants (EDSs), the study tested the hypothesized roles of specific knowledge, general knowledge, and perceived uncertainty using structural equation modelling. The findings revealed that different types of knowledge played certain roles in explaining risk perception, risk acceptability, and self-protective response, which are distinguished by experience amongst the public. Evidence of the mediating role that perceived uncertainty may play in the decrease of risk perception and the increase of risk unacceptance has been provided. The insights gained from the study may help answer why the public are in favor of taking non-diet-related self-protective measures rather than changing their dietary habits, which illustrates a comparison with the basis of health belief model. The needs for building cognitive capacity amongst the public, particularly pregnant women and young mothers, and risk communication concerning endocrine disrupting contamination linked to reproductive health are highlighted.

Since textile industry has been claimed to endanger the environment and human health, the insight of textile firm behavior regarding chemical use and discharge is vital for designing environmental risk management strategies. This study aimed to explore the dynamics of responses to the restriction of nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPEOs) among the Vietnamese textile manufacturers from the perspectives of attitude and the perceptions of adaptabilities, risks, benefits, and barriers. The chemicals are used as surfactants and are known to be responsible for endocrine disrupting effects. In-depth interviews were conducted with technical specialists from four textile firms and one chemical supplier. Regulatory and market situations with regards to the chemicals were also assessed. The findings revealed varied responses to chemical elimination where perceived technical risk, financial risk, benefits, and barriers played different roles in driving a certain action. The attitude towards chemical restriction was shaped by the trade-off between perceptions of financial risk and benefits and was moderated by market strategy. Efforts, such as enhanced washing or reductions in the dose of NP/NPEOs, imply the potency of continuous discharge of these chemicals into the environment, suggesting critical investigations on NP/NPEOs removal to prioritize actions for balancing between economic growth and environmental protection. Poor access to new policies and technological and chemical innovations was the most important barrier among private firms, highlighting the roles of non-governmental textile and garment industrial/trade associations in enhancing their members’ informative capacity. The study reflects the significance of incorporation of firm behavior research into environmental risk management practice.

Phân loại chất thải rắn tại nguồn là điều kiện tiên quyết trong các hệ thống quản lý chất thải theo định hướng phát triển bền vững. Tại các đô thị du lịch, đặc biệt là các di sản văn hóa thế giới được UNESCO công nhận, quản lý chất thải nhằm giảm thiểu và tuần hoàn chất thải không chỉ giúp giải quyết vấn đề môi trường mà còn giảm thiểu tài nguyên và góp phần phát triển du lịch bền vững. Nghiên cứu này phân tích năng lực và khả năng đóng góp của các cơ sở dịch vụ lưu trú tại Thành phố Hội An đến mục tiêu quản lý chất thải rắn theo định hướng tuần hoàn chất thải và phát triển bền vững. Với công cụ phân tích SWOT, thực hành quản lý chất thải rắn tại các cơ sở dịch vụ lưu trú được xem xét trong mối tương quan với điều kiện cơ sở hạ tầng và kinh tế - xã hội tại địa phương. Trên cơ sở đó, giải pháp nâng cao năng lực quản lý CTR đối với các cơ sở dịch vụ lưu trú được đề xuất.