Avaliação do ciclo de vida na construção civil: um estudo de berço ao portão em uma olaria de cerâmica vermelha

Abstract

The productive chain of civil construction has great representativity for the Brazilian economy. Regarding the sector of production of materials for the civil construction, the red ceramics is highlighted, being composed mainly by small and medium-sized companies, spread throughout the country. However, the action of this sector generates environmental impacts that are linked from the beginning of production to the final dismantling and disposal. An example of a small firm linked to the production of building materials, mainly in the red ceramics segment, is the ceramics in study that is inside the semi-arid region of Brazil. The company produces leaked red ceramic blocks, and also works with sand and scrap sales. The performance of this pottery in the region may be causing environmental impacts. Thus, the main objective of this research is to investigate the environmental and social impacts of the process of manufacturing ceramic blocks in the pottery under study. To do so, the research acquires a semi-quantitative and qualitative data approach. The methodological instruments adopted were: theoretical methodological survey, on-site visit, questionnaire application, LCA and study of crib at the gate. From these instruments the inventory of the lifecycle of the cradle to the gate can be developed, which allowed the estimation of potential impacts to the environment and health and safety at work. Therefore, it is verified that despite the use of mechanical equipment the production in the ceramic in study has a handmade profile which contributes to the absence of technological control. In this way, the impacts with greater potential observed in the production of ceramics were the degradation of the soil, the rivers, the flora and the fauna of the area of the deposit, the excessive consumption of wood as energy source, that can be associated with the irregular deforestation of native vegetation, noise pollution caused by the use of noise generating equipment that endangers the health and safety of employees, and atmospheric emissions.