Abstract
Lack of financial resources and public participation are major factors that constrain solid waste management in many towns in developing countries. This study sought to determine the willingness to pay (WTP) and the perception of the inhabitants of Mamfe, Cameroon for an improved solid waste management system. A total of 371 households were interviewed and data analysis to identify the determinants of WTP values was performed using multiple regression models (Probit and Tobit) and Contingent Valuation Method. Approximately 95.1% of the residents were concerned with the problems of solid waste management. 51.5% were satisfied with the present environmental conditions; with 74.5% of the opinion that water pollution caused by poor waste disposal presented the most serious environmental problem. Most of the respondents (85.1%) showed a positive attitude towards WTP for an improved solid waste management system. The monthly mean WTP was 1000FCFA ($1.73) per household and the annual WTP was approximately 180 million FCFA for the entire town. Regression analysis revealed that age, employment type, gender and income of the respondent have a significant relationship with willingness to pay at p<0.05. The trend of WTP and income variables (income and type of employment) was negative and significant implying that this payment could be afforded by a cross section (low, middle and high-income levels) of the population. Key words: Cameroon, contingent valuation method, household, perception, solid waste management, willingness to pay.
Highlights
Pacione (2005) alludes to the fact that the provision of waste management services in any large city is an expensive undertaking that makes huge demands on the finances of local governments
Cameroon is ranked in the 144th position out of a total of 177 countries and it is one of a group of 20 countries for which the Human Development Index (HDI) worsened between 1990 and 2006 (UN 2006)
The results of the study reveal that willingness to pay for improved solid waste management is significantly related to level of education, gender, household size and age of the household head
Summary
Pacione (2005) alludes to the fact that the provision of waste management services in any large city is an expensive undertaking that makes huge demands on the finances of local governments. Concerning the disposal of solid waste, the government covers 85% of the financial costs for the management of solid wastes for the major cities (most of them serving as regional headquarters) from the state budget and the Councils cover the remaining 15% (Ymele, 2012) This policy further deepens the spatial disparities between urban and rural areas. It is common for both residents and Council authorities in towns to dump waste of all sorts into roadsides, vacant lots, marshlands and water courses. This practice is associated with unsustainable and unplanned urban development and can give rise to air pollution, water pollution, poor sanitation and housingrelated health risks. Uncollected and illegally or improperly disposal of wastes poses serious risks to public health and the environment (Wilson et al, 2003; Olley et al, 2006)
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