A percepção ambiental sobre os odores fétidos da estação de tratamento de esgoto Aureny: um estudo com a comunidade da escola municipal de tempo integral Anísio Spínola Teixeira, Palmas-TO

Abstract

This study investigates environmental perception regarding the fetid odors associated with the Aureny Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), based on the lived experiences of members of the school Community of the Anísio Spínola Teixeira Full-Time Municipal School, located in the southern portion of Palmas, Tocantins, as well as representatives of neighborhood residents’ associations in the surrounding areas. The central objective is to identify and analyze the environmental perception of the participants in relation to the Aureny WWTP and the issue of the fetid odors associated with it, seeking to understand how these sensory, symbolic, and territorial experiences influence subjects’ relationships with the environment, school daily life, and public policies on basic sanitation. The investigation is grounded in a qualitative phenomenological approach, guided by the understanding of the lived world and the meanings attributed by subjects to their everyday experiences. As an initial methodological basis, the field study guidelines proposed by Whyte (1977), entitled Guidelines for Field Studies in Environmental Perception, were adopted. These guidelines are structured around a methodological triangle composed of the approaches of listening, asking and observing. This strategy enabled the apprehension of subjects’ perceptions, feelings, values, memories, and interpretations regarding the odors originating from the Aureny WWTP. In a first stage, the data were analyzed based on the variant of the phenomenological method proposed by Giorgi (2008), which allowed for the identification of the essences of environmental perception expressed in the subjects’ statements. The data collection took place at two distinct moments. In 2024, data were obtained through careful listening to spontaneous narratives, corresponding to the listening approach; and in 2025, through the application of a structured set of questions, corresponding to the asking approach. Complementarily, the observing approach supported the previous stages of the research on environmental perception through the use of the indirect observation technique, in accordance with the recommendations of Whyte (1977).The study involved 24 participants, including staff members and students from the final grades of lower secondary education (Ensino Fundamental II) at the Anísio Spínola Teixeira School, residents of the Bertaville Sector and surrounding neighborhoods affected by the Aureny WWTP, such as Jardim Aureny III, Jardim Aureny IV , Irmã Dulce, and União Sul, as well as representatives of residents’ associations from these localities. The results reveal a predominantly negative environmental perception regarding the presence of the Aureny WWTP, associated with the recurrence of fetid odors perceived as a nuisance, with spatial and temporal variations that affect quality of life and the well-being of the subjects. Feelings of indignation, devaluation, and social invisibility also emerged, evidencing perceptions of socio-environmental inequalities, territorial conflicts, and situations of environmental injustice related to incomplete or insufficient sanitation services in the area. It is concluded that environmental perception of the odors from the Aureny WWTP constitutes a central element for understanding the relationships between basic sanitation, territory, environmental education and environmental justice. The study highlights the importance of attentive listening to affected communities and the need for integrated actions in public management, social participation and critical environmental education, especially within the school context.