GEO Brasil - UNEP

the state of urban and industrial areas
the state of the environment in Brazil
carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Applied Economic
Research (IPEA) estimated the number of children who
would probably be saved if basic sanitation services were
increased in 1 percent of the population of families receiving
less than five minimum wages (Seroa da Motta, 2002)
Increasing the public supply of water in 1 percent for the
population that is not served yet would reduce by 25 percent
the number of child mortality cases associated with
waterborne diseases (intestinal infections, cholera, typhoid
fever, poliomyelitis, amoebic dysentery, schistosomiasis
and shigellosis) For the increase of 1percent in sewage
collection and treatment, the equivalent reductions would
be of 16 percent (298 lives) and 21percent (395 lives),
respectively When these three services are jointly offered
to that population, the reduction levels would reach
61percent (1139 lives) (Seroa da Motta, 2002)
In Brazil, it is estimated that diseases derived from lack of
sanitation are responsible for about 65 percent of the total
admissions in public and affiliated hospitals 3 in the country
It is also estimated that every 4 Reals invested in sanitation
means an economy of 10 Reals in hospital admissions
(MMA, 2000 A)
Other studies show that waterborne diseases are
responsible for 65 percent of paediatric admissions and 80
percent of paediatric consultations in the public health
system
In Brazil, about seven million people are infected by
schistosomiasis, 600,000 contract malaria annually and there
is an outbreak of leptospirosis whenever there are floods
Diseases that were under control, such as dengue,
leishmaniasis and cholera, have resurged Diarrhoea still
contributes strongly for the high child mortality rates
registered in the country (Ministry of the Environment, 2000
A)
On the other hand, air pollutants, such as particulates, ozone
and sulfur dioxide, cause respiratory diseases and even
premature death The effects on health can be translated
into personal suffering, productivity reduction and high
costs of medical treatment
In São Paulo, studies 4 carried out for the 1980-1989 period
show that a variation of 10 ug/m3 in the concentration of
particulate material entails a mean variation of 124 percent
in the rate of mortality caused by respiratory diseases Thus,
if the concentration level in the figures observed in São
Paulo was reduced to 44 percent, it would equal the primary
pattern of 50ug/m3 and it could avoid the death of 64 percent
of the patients who died of respiratory diseases in that region
in 1991 (Seroa da Motta 2002)
1152 Production and Material Costs
The toxic pollution of water increases the cost of water
treatment for human use Water pollution is also responsible
for the reduction in fish production, which entails losses
for the fishery sector The large number of recent accidents
involving oil leakage, such as in Rio de Janeiro, specially in
the Guanabara Bay region, and in the State of Paraná, related
to the transportation of oil and fuel, have been causing
great losses for these activities
More than 11 million people live in cities with no access to
water by channel systems On the other hand, water waste
in the public systems can amount to up to 45 percent of the
volume offered to the population, which represents an
annual loss of 208 thousand million per m3, in a total of
about 468 thousand million m3 of water produced during
this time Even if reaching the goal of 25 percent of losses,
which is considered acceptable, the annual loss would still
amount to 102 thousand million Reals (MMA, 2000 B)
In turn, the air pollution in urban areas damages the
buildings, which entails increased costs related to
conserving, maintaining and cleaning the city buildings
The automotive vehicles produce more atmospheric
pollution than any other individual human activity The major
Brazilian metropolises face huge daily traffic jams In the
city of São Paulo, the extension of these traffic jams mounts
up to 200 km during afternoon rush hours It is estimated
that these traffic jams cause a consumption of two to three
extra litres of fuel per day in a city like São Paulo,
corresponding to an average waste of 11percent (about
3
The study mentioned refers to health costs associated with air pollution in the municipality of São Paulo, in correlation to them and mortality rates caused by
respiratory diseases with meteorological parameters (humidity and temperature), pollution concentration data (particulates and SO2) and socioeconomic data
(medical attention, schooling level etc)
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