Avaliação de impactos da poluição atmosférica na saúde humana : estudo de caso para região de Anchieta, ES

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the health effects of atmospheric emissions of particulate matter from an iron ore pelletizing complex in the municipality of Anchieta - ES. For this purpose, data were collected and analyzed from monitoring air quality stations in the study area, considering two scenarios: the first with typical operation of the activity (year of 2015) and the other without activity air emissions (year of 2016). Based on the decreases in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations verified among the scenarios evaluated, a health impact assessment was performed to estimate the reduction in the number of hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory diseases, in all age groups, attributable to improved air quality. After knowing the reduction in the number of cases attributable to the improvement in air quality, these had their direct cost valued by the Cost of Ilness (COI) method. For the development of the Health Impact Assessment, epidemiological evidence recommended by the World Health Organization and from studies developed in Brazil was used. The calculations required for the development of this Study were carried out with software Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program - Community Edition (BenMAP-CE) developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The results indicated that the operations of the activity, even comply with the current limits established by the legislation, have a significant influence on the air quality of the study region, especially for the PM10. The mean annual reductions of 0.67 cases of hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases and 0.30 cases of hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diseases were attributed to decreases in environmental concentrations of PM2.5, due to the interruption of operations. The impact on health due to the reductions in PM10 concentrations were more significant, with mean annual reductions of 0.52 cases of hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases and 1.05 cases (or 8.3 cases, according to the dose response coefficient used) of hospital admissions by respiratory diseases. The monetization of the effects associated with the PM10 concentration reductions indicated that the shutdown of pelleting complex operations in the evaluated period accounted for 3.5% and 8.5% (or 65.8%, according to the dose coefficient used), of the reduction in total cost expended with cases of hospitalization for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, respectively, for the study region