Percepção ambiental e desafios do lixo urbano: um estudo sobre a percepção do lixo urbano em áreas de Sorocaba

Abstract

The research aimed to assess the environmental perception of residents living near the Matadouro Stream in response to the urban waste issue in the city of Sorocaba, SP. Through a literature review and data collection, analytical units related to the Matadouro Stream were defined, and census sectors were adopted to establish a sample population divided into three study areas, designated as Area A, B, and C. This process led to the development and application of a questionnaire to evaluate individuals' perceptions of the urban waste problem. To analyze the data obtained from the questionnaires, descriptive statistical analysis methods were initially applied to selected variables to provide an overview of this population. Subsequently, Factor Analysis was used to identify Latent Factors based on responses from individual interviews. Then, the Multiple Correspondence Analysis method was applied to develop profiles of the respondents. Finally, the ANOVA test was conducted to determine whether the population's perception in the three areas was statistically different due to the identified Latent Factors. The main finding of this research is the conclusion that there is a statistically significant difference in the environmental perception of urban waste among residents of different areas along the Matadouro Stream. The applied research method revealed that residents of Area A perceive waste merely as something dirty and useless, whereas residents of Areas B and C see the same waste as useful, valuable, and even a source of income. From the perspective of geographical and social disparities, Areas B and C, which are more peripheral and socially disadvantaged compared to Area A, demonstrate a greater tendency to view waste as a resource. This indicates a correlation between socioeconomic status and waste perceptio