Impactos das máscaras de proteção utilizadas na COVID-19: estudo no litoral paulista

Abstract

A new demand for solid waste has been presented to public managers related to the collection and proper disposal of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the mandatory use of masks. This research was carried out in Santos, on the coast of the state of São Paulo, with the objective of analyzing the understanding of the population in relation to the use and disposal of protective masks, the perception of the relationship between disposal and the environment. We start from the hypothesis that the population, in general, was not properly oriented about the disposal of protective masks at the height of the pandemic and that their improper disposal could cause environmental impacts not yet measured. This is quantitative-qualitative research where multimethod was used in order to apprehend data from different perspectives of reality and the phenomenon studied. For the theoretical basis, an exploratory and descriptive study of the state of the art and the state of the theme was carried out, followed by bibliographical research and literature review. The collection of primary data was accomplished with the field research through a questionnaire available on the Google Forms platform, after approval of the project by the Research Ethics Committee; mask disposal images were randomly captured in the study municipality. The research shows that for the researched population there was a deficit in public policies for guidance on the use and disposal of masks, during the pandemic period, that knowledge was not enough to promote behavioral changes in relation to environmental impacts. There was no evidence of sediment knowledge regarding individual and collective attitudes and behaviors towards the environment, making clear the lack of environmental education. Improvement actions related to the dissemination of information regarding epidemiological and socio environmental data could have been adopted and disseminated by knowledgeable professionals so that communication was direct and easy for the population to understand.