Development of a Procedure for Evaluating the Impacts of the Accidental Emission of Hazardous Chemicals, Case Study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Combining semi-quantitative risk assessment, composite indicator and fuzzy logic for evaluation of hazardous chemical accidents

In this study, a combination of semi-quantitative risk assessment, composite indicator and fuzzy logic has been developed to identify industrial establishments and processes that represent potential environmental accidents associated with hazardous chemicals. The proposed method takes into consideration the root causes of risk probability of hazardous chemical accidents (HCAs), such as unsafe onsite storing and usage, inadequate operation training, poor safety management and analysis, equipment failure, and factors affected by the potential consequences of the accidents, including human health, water resources, and building and construction. These issues have been aggregated in a system of criteria and sub-criteria, demonstrated by a list of non-overlapping and exhaustive categorical terms. Semi-quantitative risk assessment is then applied to develop a framework for screening industrial establishments that exhibit potential HCAs. Fuzzy set theory with triangular fuzzy number deals with the uncertainty associated with the data input and reduces the influence of subjectivity and vagueness to the final results. The proposed method was tested among 77 industrial establishments located within the industrial zones of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Eighteen establishments were categorized as high HCA risk, 36 establishments were categorized as medium HCA risk, and 23 ones were of low HCA risk. The results are compatible with the practical chemical safety situation of the establishments and are consistent with expert evaluation.

Environmental Pollution, Management, and Sustainable Development: Strategies for Vietnam and Other Developing Countries

This editorial introduces the issue of selected papers that were presented at the third International Conference on Environmental Pollution, Restoration, and Management in Quy Nhon, Vietnam on 6-10 March 2017. While environmental problems caused by diverse municipal, industrial, and other economic development activities continue to increase in many Asian countries, public awareness about environmental management for public health and the environment remain at levels that favor accepting environmental degradation and impacts for tradeoffs with economic values. This special issue resulted from a conference that was organized to bringing scientists from developed and developing countries to Vietnam to share experiences, discuss environmental problems, and enhance future collaborations for research and training in support of better management plans for the environment and health. Papers published in this issue present original results from diverse research on current environmental management challenges in Vietnam and other Asian countries. The research areas include environmental contamination in groundwater and diet that affect human health, waste composting, and effects of wastewater effluent, which is one of the greatest challenges in most Asian countries. In addition, impacts of hazardous chemical emissions and related environmental management efforts, and sustainable development approaches are included.