Diagnóstico da percepção ambiental dos usuários das praias de Itaipu e Itacoatiara quanto à presença de resíduos sólidos

: The present study aimed to evaluate the environmental perception of the users of two beaches of Niterói - RJ: Itaipu and Itacoatiara, and to describe their socioeconomic profile, due to the presence of marine debris in coastal space. For this evaluation, a closed questionnaire was applied to a total of 200 people (100 in each beach). Based on the answers, it was possible to observe the different environmental perceptions of the interviewees regarding the possible alternatives provided. Most of the interviewees, on both beaches, had higher education, were between 18 and 30 years of age and had a monthly income of 2 to 5 minimum wages. The results show that although beach users have a perception about the problem of marine debris in coastal environments, the presence of these in the sand contradicts this fact. In this way, it is evident that a critical perspective on environmental education, together with awareness campaigns, should be disseminated to surrounding communities, in order to support discussions about the interventions required for participatory and effective environmental management.