A percepção da população uruçuiense em relação ao uso de embalagens plásticas e aos efeitos para ambiente e saúde humana

Abstract

Plastics in their various forms are increasingly present in the life of human beings, and have been used in the production of a wide variety of objects, mainly packaging and household utensils. Such use has caused problems to the environment and to the human being directly, since in contact with food, subjected to certain conditions, plastic materials can migrate to the product to be consumed and, in the long run, can result in several health problems to the population. In this sense, the present study aimed to know the perception of the population of the city of Uruçuí-PI in relation to the use of plastic packaging and its adverse effects on human and environmental health. Having as target audience residents of the city of Uruçuí-PI, they were informed of the research and agreed to a Free and Informed Consent Form (ICF). For data collection, we used a semi-structured questionnaire made through the Google Forms platform and the invitation to research took place through the WhatsApp communication tool. The results obtained show that the Environmental Education (EA) theme is not addressed in schools or is worked on superficially in the school environment, revealing a worrying situation, since important issues for the environment and human health, such as plastic packaging, also are not being discussed in schools and social media effectively. It was observed that some participants are aware of the theme in general, but are unaware of which compounds can migrate to food and continue to use plastic materials in conditions that can be harmful to health. From the data presented, it is concluded that the use of plastic packaging and its harmful points need to be addressed in a dynamic and participatory way in schools and social media. In addition, educational institutions must encourage EE actions at all levels and work in an interdisciplinary way on the subject, given its relevance to public and environmental health