Análise da qualidade ambiental a partir de indicadores ambientais na área urbana de Paragominas-PA

Abstract

The rapid growth and the lack of policies for city planning provoke changes that affect the quality of life of the population. In this perspective, the analysis of environmental quality arises from the need to improve urban environmental conditions. Given this, the present research had as general objective, to evaluate the urban environmental quality in the city of Paragominas-PA, in the mesoregion of the southeast of Para. For this, the methodology developed by Vasques (2017) was adapted, based on objective analysis, using a system of urban environmental indicators, being the same, Water supply; Sewage collection and treatment; Household solid urban waste collection; Selective collection of solid waste; Flooded areas; Vegetable cover and free spaces. The procedures followed: definition of indicators and data collection; application of quantitative indices and spatial representation of each indicator and subsequent assessment and diagnosis of environmental quality. Inhabited blocks of the urban area were used as the spatial unit of analysis. Data analysis indicated that the entire study area has a water supply, provided by the Paragominas Sanitation Agency. Only 0.37 km² (3.04%) of the city are served by sewage collection and treatment services, restricted to condominiums and residences. The household waste collection is carried out in the entire urban area, while the selective collection mainly covers the central area and the nearby subdivisions, totaling 6.30 km² (51.90%) of the inhabited spaces. 1.85 km² (15.24%) of the inhabited spaces have already been affected by flooding in Paragominas. The data for vegetation cover showed a percentage of 15.43%. Data analysis indicated that 4.35 km² (35.83%) of inhabited places have public free spaces up to 300 m. The diagnosis of environmental quality showed that 77.31% (9.38 km²) of the urban area of Paragominas was classified as “intermediate environmental quality”, 19.20% (2.33 km²) as “best environmental quality” and 3.49% (0.42 km²) as “worst environmental quality”. The result had direct interference from the sewage collection and treatment indicator and the spatial distribution of free spaces, also influenced by vegetation cover. Considering the approaches carried out in this research, it is necessary to emphasize the need for urban planning by integrating social and environmental elements, so that the problems that affect the quality of urban life are remedied or minimized.