A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002

The more than 27,000 Small-Scale Industries (SSIs) of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) provide employment and opportunity for the large number of individuals. They are, therefore, important contributor to the economies, development and society of HCMC. However, they also contribute to serious pollution problems and cause nuisance and hindrance in the residential areas where they operate. Mainly because SSIs owners lack environmental information and knowledge how to minimize the waste from their operation. This study is conducted to examine the reasons and conditions determining the lack of environmental knowledge and awareness of SSIs and explore possible forms and institutional mechanism whereby environmental information and knowledge could flow between government agencies and SSIs, between SSIs and experts, and among SSIs owners. Field observation, informal discussion with SSIs, depth - interview with technical persons and sources of government officers, questionnaire survey to SSIs, secondary information collection have been the methods for collecting required information in three industrial sectors: Title dyeing, Tannery, and Pulp and Paper within two districts: 11 and Tan Binh. The main findings, identified as constraints, are lack of utilization of different stakeholders involved in the dissemination of environmental information, inadequate communication between SSIs and stakeholders, inappropriate information to SSIs, and also many constraints from SSIs to adopt and implement the environmental information. In order to address these issues, the institutional mechanism for better dissemination of information to SSIs is proposed. These are cooperation programs between different stakeholders, and some guidance for implementing the dissemination of environmental information.