Manejo de resíduos sólidos urbanos e sua relação com deslizamentos de terra: o caso do Alto Independência, Petrópolis, RJ

Abstract

Urban solid waste management is one of the most urgent environmental challenges, especially in low-income communities located on slopes, where access difficulties to proper waste handling exacerbate the issue. High urban density, lack of basic infrastructure, and the absence of effective public policies are recurrent factors. Human actions related to the disordered use and occupation of land, such as the improper disposal of waste, degrade the environment and increase susceptibility to landslides. The research aimed to evaluate the relationship between improper solid waste management and the occurrence of landslides in the Alto Independência neighborhood, in Petrópolis-RJ, an area characterized by high socio-environmental vulnerability. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used, including spatial analyses performed with QGIS software, data from the Civil Defense and COMDEP, as well as interviews with residents and municipal managers. The results revealed that the lack of regular waste collection in significant parts of the studied area contributes to waste accumulation in critical points, intensifying soil instability. It was found that residents face difficulties in properly disposing of waste due to the insufficient availability of dumpsters and collection routes. The proposed interventions include expanding selective collection, creating accessible collection points, and integrating the community into planning and executing actions aimed at mitigating environmental risks and improving living conditions for residents in slope areas