Fifteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

In discussions about sustainability of cities, much has been said about resilience, with great focus on mitigation measures for cities at risk of disasters, as landslides, floods, and other events of natural motivation. However, there are other forms of events that may compromise the integrity of cities which originate in human actions that deserve greater attention, such as soil contamination. In this article, the soil contamination is focused as a disaster by human actions, and the importance of redevelopment of contaminated sites as a factor for the development of urban resilience and quality of life, especially in developing countries, such as the case of Brazil. This article elucidates that, even with thirty years of advances in environmental legislation in this country, soil degradation remains present. Urban sprawl has been occurring in a way that brownfield sites end up receiving new uses, often exposing users to contaminants and causing health risks. Therefore, the awareness of the redevelopment of brownfields is extremely important for the future of cities, indicating urban resilience. For this, however, the presence of the government is necessary, implementing policies in favor of the environment.