Cumplimiento de las medidas de restricción del uso residencial de leña en la ciudad de Valdivia.

Resumen

Background: Atmospheric pollution is a problem that causes great concern and health risks for the population. In Chile, the usage of residential firewood is restricted but the level of compliance with such restriction has not been studied. Aim: To study the level of fulfillment with firewood use restriction in a southern Chilean city. Material and methods: A sample of 594 households at Valdivia, randomly and proportionally selected from two territorial areas defined in the environmental decontamination plan for the city, was studied. A 31 questions survey about heating methods, use of domestic fuel, fulfillment with firewood restriction directives and socioeconomic features was applied. Results: Fifty-two percent of households did not comply with the residential firewood use restriction measures. The compliance with restriction measures was lower among abodes of lower socioeconomic and educational level. Sixty-one percent of respondents recognized that they had little or very little knowledge of the decontamination plan for the city. Conclusions: Half of the surveyed households, did not comply with firewood use restriction directives of the city and more than half were unaware of the restriction measures of the decontamination plan of the city.