Effects on health and the environment in vineyard and wine production

Resumo

Introdução: The wine industry has an intensive development in Sauce. Various health problems linked to this sector was identified by the practice of family medicine in the locality. There were many questions about the relationship between this activity, the environment and the health of people. We identified a lack of information on these issues in people involved in the production and health professionals.

Objetivos: To know the wine production processes in the ASSE-Sauce influence zone in 2009. To identify the perception of the population linked to this production on its impact on human health and the environment. Describe the processes used and phytosanitary management of waste production.

Metodologia ou descrição da experiência: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Quantitative and qualitative. Vineyards and wine establishments of the 6th section of Canelones were studied. A random sample of 10% of the local places registered in INAVI was taken. Face interviews with the head of each establishment, a worker and a boundary neighbor at the same visit, were performed. Data collection forms were designed for each group (farmers , workers and neighbors). Questions were used to guide the open interviews. For quantitative analysis and database processing Exel 2007 was used. The interviews were transcribed to text files and processed using qualitative discourse analysis.

Resultados: 16 vineyards and 5 wineries were studied (7.5 % of the cultivated land, 1.57% of state wine produced). We interviewed 21 producers, 10 workers and 14 neighbors. All establishments were using agricultural chemicals with different intensity. Organic wastes were returned to the soil and inorganic and chemicals effluents were returned to the environment without processing. Low use of protection of the workers during the application of products was demonstrated. Most respondents stated that this process does not affect the environment or human health or they minimized the effects observed. Health problems identified were musculoskeletal (physical) skin and respiratory (related to contaminants).

Conclusões ou hipóteses: The general perception is that vineyard and wine production are safe. However there is a concern about air and soil contamination. In the production process we can identify a traditional and modern environmental hazard that suggests the need for further multidisciplinary studies. We find cultural family values as healthy traditional process and can be presented as positive determinants of health.