Custos de técnicas de restauração de ambientes degradados pela atividade petrolífera na Amazônia Central

Abstract

Cost determination related to ecological restoration in degraded areas has been paid little attention in the scientific literature. However, there are increasing needs for these studies. Several reasons are pushing forward the academics to consider this subject. The main reasons are: law obligation, governmental fines due to environmental crimes, judicial decisions to repair or compensation payment for the damages caused in the ecosystems. New technologies have been proposed to be applied in restoration projects. Therefore, to be transferred to companies, it is essential to consider the production costs and implementation in the field. The decision which techniques should be used will depend on the cost-benefit, economic viability and environmental valuation. Given its importance, the present study aimed to examine the costs of manufacture and implementation of different alternative technologies in areas where soils are extremely depleted by oil and gas industry. Costs were obtained through the methodology of Activity Based Costing (ABC), which sought to determine all activities and resources involved in each restoration technique analyzed. The new techniques studies were based on ecological nucleation principles. The determination of costs of each technique was analyzed in two chapters. The first deals with the fabrication and installation of regenerative nuclei together with cuttings, soil litter, sowing seeds and pelleted seeds. The second deals with the cost of manufacture and installation of three formats of biodegradable structures (trapezoidal and rectangular grid) developed with coconut fibres and chopped wood, bonded with latex rubber, which have been patented and have great potential in curbing laminar erosion. The results have shown that costs of each technology are different. Each regeneration nuclei amounted R$29.90, while each pellet reached the amount of R$2.51. The costs of experimental biodegradable structures varied according to their shape and raw material used: trapezoidal coconut: R$56.24; rectangular coconut fibre R$57.15; grid coconut fibre R$60.42; trapeze wooden R$ 64.98; rectangular wood R$73.37 and grid wood R$65.74. Compared to conventional planting seedlings, which has a cost of approximately R$40,000.00 per hectare, a technique based on principles of nucleation becomes less costly, reaching values of up to R$21,000.00 per hectare. Implanting estimation of these new methods should be made with caution because depends on several aspects: degradation levels, grasses, slope.It is hoped that this study had demonstrates the need to include the costs in restoration projects as well as new technologies generated.