Diagnóstico participativo socioambiental e de riscos à saúde das comunidades do entorno do Complexo Petroquímico do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to diagnose the priority socio environmental problems and the health risks from the surrounding communities the Petrochemical Complex of Rio de Janeiro. Characterized by a participatory approach, the action research has led to the application of interviews, focal groups, meetings and workshop with social actors of Porto das Caixas and Sambaetiba districts, located in Itaboraí city/RJ from November 2013 to December 2014. A structural analysis of the problems prioritized by the communities (water supply, sewage treatment and risk of transmissible diseases; risk of air pollution and respiratory diseases; absence of public security and risk of violence) sketched out the cause-effect-intervention relationship, on the basis of the Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health. The process revealed the absence of representativity of the social actors of the studied localities in spaces of decision-making on the environmental issue. Educational actions with professionals and inhabitants that aim to promote the formation of collective movements urge, indispensable to guarantee the rights of mitigation of situations of contamination of air and access to sanitation services and public security and thus of conditions of lower risk to health.

Health Risks Perception in the Context of the Construction of a Petrochemical Complex in Brazil

“…Thus, the environmental problems experienced can contribute to reducing the welfare, life quality and health risk perception of the groups affected (MONIZ et al, 2016). The public perception about the different socio-environmental conflicts and problems in the area of influence of the project can to be determined according to local economic and socio-cultural context (MONIZ et al, 2017). Luginaah et al (2002) declared that the individual and collective confrontations with environmental stressors translate as perception and attitude toward reducing the stressing factor, resigning, or denying this factor, depending on the exposure characteristics, the individual, the community capacity, and the social network.When the perception is optimistic regarding the risk (nonrealistic), denying it, it seems to be more related to a past life experience to predict their future vulnerability than to the characteristics of the individuals or the risks (SLOVIC, 2010).…”

“…The environmental licensing process for COMPERJ did not include a diagnosis of the health situation of the population in Itaboraí (BARBOSA, 2010).The main environmental and health risks for the communities neighboring the construction area of COMPERJ relate to the site chosen for deployment of this development. There is a risk of reduced groundwater recharge and reduced water availability for maintaining the vitality of local and regional ecosystems and the drinking water supply for human consumption in the area, which is also chronically affected by a water scarcity problem (UFF, 2012;MONIZ et al, 2017).…”

“…There are also risks of microbiological, parasitological, and toxicological contamination of water bodies by the wastewater effluents from the construction site and an increased number of households and businesses not connected to the treatment network. The risk of soil and water contamination is also present due to the office and meal waste from the construction site through improper methods (burning, burying, or disposing of the trash in lands, rivers Aldeia, Porto das Caixas and Caceribu) (MONIZ et al, 2017).…”

“…Surely, the installation and construction processes in the petrochemical industry has been degrading the environmental quality and produced human health risks of populations residing in the neighborhood of the industrial area (MONIZ et al, 2017;LÓPEZ-NAVARRO et al 2013).…”

“…Another problem is that the potential risks and impacts on the health of workers and the community generated by the construction stage of industrial oil plants are poorly assessed or partially contemplated in the Environmental Impact Studies (EIS) and Environmental Impact Reports (EIR), let alone in Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Studies to deploy preventive actions (BARBOSA, 2010;MONIZ et al, 2017).…”