Análise da percepção dos impactos socioambientais de mineração no município de Gurinhém, Paraíba

Abstract

The environmental problems that arise in both urban and rural areas have generated conflicts with the community, becoming increasingly evident and worrying today. Issues such as air, water, and soil pollution, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity are widely discussed in various societal forums. Environmental impacts refer to changes in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the environment, caused by human action, which directly affect the quality of life and the environment. Such problems already manifest themselves with significant aggravating factors for the environment and transcend geographic borders, with repercussions at local, regional, and global levels. This research aims to evaluate the perception of local residents about the socio-environmental impacts in relation to granite mining activity in the municipality of Gurinhém-PB. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to understand the perception of residents of the urban community in relation to the environmental impacts generated by the mining company, which has been operating in the city since 2011, extracting and processing granite rocks for civil construction. These impacts perceived by the interviewees were organized into a matrix of environmental impacts and compared with analyses by experts in the field. The results point to evidence that negative effects, such as the emission of particulates (dust), cause possible changes in air quality that can consequently cause problems for the health and well-being of the neighboring population. Cracks in houses are concrete realities associated with the exploitation of granite used for civil construction. Proposals for improving problems include the possibility of applying the master plan for the municipality or other elements, such as environmental zoning, that make it possible to reduce conflicts and socio-environmental vulnerability, the potential for poor air quality, the degree of environmental degradation, among other components.