WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR PRIVATE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: INSIGHTS FROM PESHAWAR

Abstract

Solid waste generation has become an important environmental problem, particularly in developing nations. Solid waste management (SWM) in Peshawar city has always been examined from supply side, while the demand side i.e. willingness to pay (WTP) by residents has been ignored. This paper aims to estimate the households’ willingness to pay for private SWM in Peshawar district. A multistage sampling technique was applied for a sample size of 400 households from 5 different locations of Peshawar. Logistic regression estimation reveals that 75 percent of the respondents are willing to pay, while multiple regressions reveal a mean WTP of PKR 163 per month and a median WTP of PKR 100 over and above their existing payments. However, this broadly depends on the income level and severity of SWM in those areas. The findings of the study will help policy makers in designing a sustainable SWM strategy in Peshawar district.