An investigation on shaping local waste management services based on public participation: A case study of Amol, Mazandaran Province, Iran

Abstract

Iranian northern cities neighboring the Caspian Sea are dealing with several environmental and public health issues. One of them being high volume of waste generated in the region and the waste management system is based on conventional routines such as open dumping. This research proposes modifying the current waste management process based on active participation of citizens and considering the local people and expert's viewpoints. The case study is Amol city located in Mazandaran province in north of Iran. The survey outcomes have been evaluated based on both quantitative and qualitative methods including descriptive statistics methods, thematic and SWOT analysis.The results indicate that the occupational status of citizens is correlated with their satisfaction of urban management services. Pearson correlation coefficient shows a direct relationship between citizen participation and municipal waste management service qualities. More than 58% of respondents have stated that public participation in waste separation from the source has been below satisfactory. Nevertheless, more than 98% of respondents have shown positive approach towards active participation in waste separation from source while generating lower amount of waste. The modified pattern of waste management process covers all three stages namely, waste generation, its transportation, and its final disposal. In addition, different aspects of active participation in the process of waste management by the citizens is considered. The Proposed pattern can be a roadmap for local urban managers to facilitate the public participation in Amol and other cities, with similar socio-economic profiles.