The deforestations and land conflicts occurred mainly along the highway. In Acre many thousands of traditional inhabitants of the rain forest who had lost their subsistence were drawn to Rio Branco. However, the possibilities to make a living are little for the new city dwellers, most of them being without money and illiterate. In many cases this situation leads to prostitution, drug-trafficking and robbery. Waste disposal in Rio Branco is insufficient, which causes uncontrolled dumping on empty properties and as a result the contamination of the underground water and the wells.
Many people burn the waste.
In Acre as well as in the entire Amazon exists the tradition of slash-burning. Also the dry grass and bushes are burned by the end of the dry season in order to prepare the ground as pasture or field. Since the beginning of the nineties the BR 364 is asphalted all the way to Rio Branco and can be used throughout the year. A continuing highway through Acre connecting Brazil with Peru and the Pacific coast is planned. This plan wasn't executed so far because of the lack of funds.