Industrial Pollution: Memories of Rural Women from Puchuncaví, Valparaíso, Chile

Abstract

The objective of this study is to understand the main representations of women’s collective memory regarding industrial pollution in Puchuncaví, based on their life experiences in rural areas affected by high levels of pollution and drought. To this end, a qualitative methodology was employed through two focus groups with women from rural communities in the Valparaíso Region, Chile, who participated in a university development project. The findings indicate that, in the context of pollution, drought, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, women continued to work actively in response to the environmental crisis. Their memories recall the arrival of industries in the area and the environmental repercussions that gradually transformed their communities into a “sacrifice zone.” The memories that emerge reveal the contradictions surrounding the establishment of these industries: on one hand, they represented material progress and employment opportunities; on the other, environmental degradation that only became evident over the years. In these contexts, women developed various collective strategies, organized themselves to promote sustainable practices, and even engaged in learning new technologies. In this sense, the results highlight the role of social memory in constructing a collective awareness of the socio-ecological crisis, making visible the resistance, leadership, and knowledge of rural women in the face of environmental pollution and climate change.