Waste Disposal Infrastructure Research Articles

Problems and Possible Solutions to Municipal Solid Waste Management in Malawi Urban Areas – An Overview

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management poses significant challenges in urban areas of Malawi, with rapid population growth, poor sanitary conditions, and inadequate waste disposal infrastructure exacerbating the situation. This overview synthesizes existing literature to examine the complexities of MSW management in key Malawian cities, including Mzuzu, Blantyre, Zomba, and Lilongwe. Drawing from diverse sources such as peer-reviewed papers, governmental reports, and policy documents, the study investigates the root causes of MSW problems and explores potential remedies. Key issues identified include poor waste disposal habits, lack of waste classification, insufficient waste removal services, and community perceptions towards waste disposal. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the legal frameworks and environmental regulations governing MSW management in Malawi, highlighting the roles of various stakeholders and policy instruments. To address these challenges, the paper proposes a multi-faceted approach involving enforcement of legal laws, civic education and awareness campaigns, community engagement, involvement of private operators, conversion of waste to energy, promotion of recycling activities, composting, and provision of public bins/trash containers. By implementing these strategies, Malawi can move towards sustainable MSW management, mitigate environmental risks, and improve public health outcomes in urban areas.

Assessment of Solid Waste Management Practices in Higher Educational Institutions in Makurdi Metropolis Benue State, Nigeria

This study examined solid waste management practices in higher educational institutions within the Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. The study was conducted in three higher institutions, namely: Joseph Saawuan Tarkaa University, Makurdi; Benue State University, Makurdi; and Alfred Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, Makurdi. The study sampled 395 respondents covering all the solid waste generators (students, staff and school mini-market operators) using simple random and purposive sampling procedures. Descriptive statistical method such as frequency count, percentage, mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were employed in data analysis. The result revealed that the majority of respondents were male (69.9%), falling predominantly within the 18-40 age bracket (82.0%), and unmarried (70.7%). A substantial portion of respondents had educational backgrounds of NCE/ND or secondary school certificates (39.4% and 31.5% respectively), with 70.7% still actively pursuing their education and 71.0% earning less than or equal to N30,000.00 per month on average. Solid waste generating entities were identified, with school mini-markets (labour markets) being the primary contributors (37.7%), followed by offices/lecture halls (34.7%), students’ hostels (28.6%), and general school premises (26.8%). The dominant types of solid waste generated included organic waste such as food remnants (81.2%), papers (67.1%), and plastic waste (64.6%). The municipal waste management authority, BENSESA, was found to be directly responsible for managing 58.5% of the solid waste in the study area, while 20.07% and 17.1% indicated that solid waste was managed by contractors hired by the selected institutions and institutions’ waste management departments/units respectively. Regarding waste storage and collection facilities, 46.0% of respondents reported that their institutions lacked such facilities, and 61.0% mentioned waste being dumped at open temporary dumpsites. Waste collection and disposal services were also found to be lacking, with 35.1% indicating that their institutions did not have these services. The most prevalent methods of solid waste disposal were open dumping (75.3%) and burning (61.3%), indicating suboptimal waste management practices. Inadequate service coverage from BENSESA was identified as a major challenge with a mean score of 4.30. In conclusion, this study highlights the inadequate solid waste management practices in higher educational institutions in Makurdi Metropolis, resulting in uncollected and improperly disposed waste. This poses significant health and environmental risks to residents of these campuses. The study recommends several measures to address these issues, including the establishment and enforcement of waste segregation programmes, improving waste collection and disposal services, conducting awareness campaigns, enforcing waste management policies, and investing in waste disposal infrastructure.

A descriptive study to assess the awareness, knowledge, and practices among government senior secondary school students on household waste management in the Gohar block of District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

Background: Proper household waste management is crucial for environmental sustainability and public health. This study aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, and practices of household waste management among 400 students and explore the associations with socio-demographic variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire covered aspects of awareness, knowledge, and practices related to household waste management. Socio-demographic information was also collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to determine associations. Results: Among students, 67.8% were aware of household waste management, 84.3% knew waste separation, but only 26.3% and 35% were aware of waste minimization and e-waste. While 92.8% recognized the local government's role, almost half remained unconvinced. 65.3% knew about household waste, and 71% knew disposal methods. However, only 79.3% knew solid waste reuse, and 94.8% knew 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.' Practices varied: 92.5% segregated waste, 57.5% composted kitchen waste, and 70.8% disposed outside. A minority (15.3%) disposed of outdoors. Diverse waste collection methods included 29.8% using bins, 28.2% using tin cans, and 15.3% using plastic bags. Socio-demographics influenced awareness, knowledge, and practices. Conclusions: Comprehensive waste management education is needed, focusing on waste minimization and e-waste. Addressing teacher knowledge gaps is essential. Tailored education accounting for socio-demographic factors is crucial. Improved waste disposal infrastructure is required to reduce improper waste disposal. Continuing government initiatives can enhance awareness and responsible waste management.

Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Pyrolysis Oil from Waste Plastic over 3 wt.% Ni/Ce-Zr-Mg/Al2O3 Catalyst

Sustained increase in plastic use has placed a significant burden on waste disposal infrastructure. Pyrolysis is the process of decomposing high-molecular-weight compounds by heating waste plastics at 500–1000 °C without oxygen. This process considerably reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has a high alternative energy effect (0.57 TOE ton−1). After a separation process, the oil produced by pyrolysis (C5–C20) can yield naphtha oil (C6–C7). Subsequently, hydrogen can be produced through a reforming reaction of this naphtha oil. Here, we produced hydrogen from waste plastic pyrolysis oil over a Ni/Ce-Zr-Mg/Al2O3 catalyst using a steam reforming process. A model oil combining the major substances of C6 and C7 (hexane, hexene, heptane, heptene, and toluene) was formed. From the reaction products, the hydrogen yield was obtained based on analysis of H2, CO, and CO2 concentrations using gas chromatography. The effect of N2 and O2 addition on hydrogen yield was analyzed within a temperature range of 750–850 °C, steam/carbon (S/C) ratio of 0.6–4, and space velocity of 7600–19,100 h−1. In addition, a durability test was performed using 3 wt.% Ni/Ce-Zr-Mg/Al2O3 catalysts for 100 h; a hydrogen yield of 91.3% was maintained from the refined waste plastic oil.

Emerging biotechnological strategies for food waste management: A green leap towards achieving high-value products and environmental abatement

Food wastes have gained increasing attention by the public, national, and international organizations due to substantial social, environmental, and economic apprehensions, climate variation, and the depletion of fossil reserves. Although food wastes represent serious ecological problems; however, they possess significant candidature for biotransformation processes into a spectrum of commodity compounds due to their rich composition of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. There are a few things to consider regarding waste disposal infrastructure, which is undoubtedly an ecological concern. Although waste disposal infrastructure improvements in developed countries do not receive much attention as rapid healthcare facilities. Waste disposal is a priority in developed countries for a number of reasons. However, addressing these issues solely by the applications in developing countries will not be sufficient. Due to cultural, economic, and resource gaps between developed and the developing countries, several unique challenges must be solved to improve the waste management system in developing countries. It is essential to evaluate the current tendencies and technological improvement in the modification of food supply chain because the biomass transformation processes define the significance of the substrate as well as the functional expenses. Although the generation of industrially important compounds via waste valorization shows an excellent opportunity, a comprehensive appraisal of the automation supported by improving processing economics is necessary before industrial execution.

Planning for disposal of COVID-19 pandemic wastes in developing countries: a review of current challenges.

The health sector is critical to the well-being of any country, but developing countries have several obstacles that prevent them from providing adequate health care. This became an even larger concern after the COVID-19 outbreak left millions of people dead worldwide and generated huge amounts of infected or potentially infected wastes. The management and disposal of medical wastes during and post-COVID-19 represent a major challenge in all countries, but this challenge is particularly great for developing countries that do not have robust waste disposal infrastructure. The main problems in developing countries include inefficient treatment procedures, limited capacity of healthcare facilities, and improper waste disposal procedures. The management of medical wastes in most developing countries was primitive prior to the pandemic. The improper treatment and disposal of these wastes in our current situation may further speed COVID-19 spread, creating a serious risk for workers in the medical and sanitation fields, patients, and all of society. Therefore, there is a critical need to discuss emerging challenges in handling, treating, and disposing of medical wastes in developing countries during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. There is a need to determine best disposal techniques given the conditions and limitations under which developing countries operate. Several open questions need to be investigated concerning this global issue, such as to what extent developing countries can control the expected environmental impacts of COVID-19, particularly those related to medical wastes? What are the projected management scenarios for medical wastes under the COVID-19 outbreak? And what are the major environmental risks posed by contaminated wastes related to COVID-19 treatment? Studies directed at the questions above, careful planning, the use of large capacity mobile recycling facilities, and following established guidelines for disposal of medical wastes should reduce risk of COVID-19 spread in developing countries.Graphical abstract

Fisherfolk's Perception of and Attitude to Solid Waste Disposal: Implications for Health, Aquatic Resources, and Sustainable Development.

The study explored fisherfolk's perception and attitude in regard to solid waste disposal and the implications of these for public health, aquatic resources, and sustainable development (SD) in a Ghanaian fishing community. Qualitative data were obtained from 37 purposively targeted participants comprising 34 fisherfolk, an environmental health expert, a water and sanitation expert, and a fisheries and aquatic sciences expert through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analysed thematically guided by the most significant stories. While the fisherfolk perceived waste as useless and a nuisance, the experts saw it as a nuisance and/or resource. The fisherfolk did not sort their waste in line with best practices, nor were they willing to pay for waste collection services, citing poverty as the main reason. While most fisherfolk disposed of their waste into bins as approved, others did so onto the street, into the drains, lagoon, and sea. While the fisherfolk were aware that indiscriminate waste disposal led to diseases such as malaria and cholera, their perceptions of the effect of the same on aquatic resources were mixed. The fisherfolk's conception and perception of waste led to attitudes, behaviours, and practices that polluted the environment (air, land, and water resources), resulting in public health challenges, a threat to navigation, fish population, and other biodiversity, which were inimical to livelihoods and sustainable development. The government and municipal authority should collaborate with the experts in environmental health, water and sanitation, fisheries and aquatic sciences, and traditional authorities to sensitise the fisherfolk on the sustainability implications of unapproved solid waste disposal practices to change their attitude for the better. They should also provide more waste disposal infrastructure and enforce the laws to ensure compliance with best practice for sustainable development. The study supports the compatibility and mutuality between Sustainable Development (SDG) 6 on water, sanitation, and hygiene and SDG 14 regarding sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

Environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use: Individual and institutional enablers and barriers

The use of disposable takeaway coffee cups is a major environmental problem across the globe. There is an urgent need to gain an understanding of environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use by consumers in order to develop potential solutions to address this significant environmental issue. Prior literature has not specifically addressed the institutional factors that affect consumer behavior in relation to environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use. This paper explores the enablers and barriers that impact the adoption of environment friendly takeaway coffee cups and relates the consumer determinants to broader institutional factors. Based on in-depth interviews and non-participant observations with consumers and relevant stakeholders, this study finds that a change in consumer preference to environment friendly takeaway coffee cups is prompted by environmental messaging and pro-environmental behavior. This needs to be accompanied by broader institutional changes such as providing waste disposal infrastructure and altering monetary incentives for disposing takeaway cups. This study extends the academic literature on environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use by going beyond a consumer focus and incorporating institutional considerations. A holistic policy mix that incorporates individual and institutional factors is suggested in this study, contributing to practice, policy and a sustainable society. • Investigates problem of waste generated by disposable takeaway coffee cups. • Identifies enablers and barriers of environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use. • To encourage environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use, both individual and institutional factors should be considered. • Policies incorporating consumer behavior and institutional changes are urgently needed.

The “Garbological Mission” of Kharkiv’s Municipal Self-Government in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

The article analyzes the evolution of waste disposal practices in the activities of Kharkiv’s municipal self-government. At the end of the 19th century, keeping the urban space clean was still primarily the responsibility of homeowners. The city government issued regulatory decrees and the police monitored their implementation. For their part, homeowners hired private nightmen to remove garbage to dumps. The study clarifies the procedure for organizing the solid waste processing cycle. During this period, rag and bone collectors were important agents of waste utilization. Companies of these peculiar professionals sorted garbage and prepared it for further processing. At the turn of the 20th century, active industrial development and urbanization led to the devaluation of the secondary materials market and the worsening of the sanitary and epidemiological conditions in the city. The article delves into the details of the formation of the new garbological strategy of the municipal self-government and traces the changes in how members of the city council and engineers viewed the development of this industry. The city authorities revised their approach to keeping Kharkiv’s environment in order. New special departments inspected the condition and cleanliness of streets, sidewalks, squares, and sewers. The first significant technological component of the waste disposal infrastructure was a water supply system. The development of this network allowed the municipal government to begin creating a closed cycle of liquid waste filtration. Meanwhile, the construction of a sewer system did not solve all the problems of cleaning up Kharkiv. In the 1910s, the city authorities set up regular municipal solid waste caravans. During this period, a waste utilization plant was opened, not only contributing to the liberation of the city from animal waste, but also doing anti-epidemic and anti-epizootic work. The author concludes that during the period under consideration Kharkiv’s authorities addressed the new challenge to the community by implementing modern garbological projects and waste disposal methods.

Biochar incorporation increased nitrogen and carbon retention in a waste-derived soil.

The synthesis of manufactured soils converts waste materials to value-added products, alleviating pressures on both waste disposal infrastructure and topsoils. For manufactured soils to be effective media for plant growth, they must retain and store plant-available nutrients, including nitrogen. In this study, biochar applications were tested for their ability to retain nitrogen in a soil manufactured from waste materials. A biochar, produced from horticultural green waste, was added to a manufactured soil at 2, 5 and 10 % (by weight), then maintained at 15 °C and irrigated with water (0.84 mL m-2 d-1) over 6 weeks. Total dissolved nitrogen concentrations in soil leachate decreased by 25.2, 30.6 and 44.0 % at biochar concentrations of 2, 5 and 10 %, respectively. Biochar also changed the proportions of each nitrogen-fraction in collected samples. Three mechanisms for biochar-induced nitrogen retention were possible: i) increased cation and anion exchange capacity of the substrate; ii) retention of molecules within the biochar pore spaces; iii) immobilisation of nitrogen through microbial utilisation of labile carbon further supported by increased soil moisture content, surface area, and pH. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations in leachate were reduced (-34.7 %, -28.9 %, and -16.7 %) in the substrate with 2, 5 and 10 % biochar additions, respectively. Fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis data showed increased microbial metabolic activity with biochar application (14.7 ± 0.5, 25.4 ± 5.3, 27.0 ± 0.1, 46.1 ± 6.1 µg FL g-1 h-1 for applications at 0, 2, 5, and 10 %, respectively), linking biochar addition to enhanced microbial activity. These data highlight the potential for biochar to suppress the long-term turnover of SOM and promote carbon sequestration, and a long-term sustainable growth substrate provided by the reuse of waste materials diverted from landfill.

Can Bioenergy Ash Applications Emulate the Effects of Wildfire on Upland Forest Soil Chemical Properties?

Core Ideas Bioenergy is growing; the ash generated as a by‐product is often treated as waste. Ash applications could be used to emulate wildfire effects on forest soil chemistry. Wildfires and ash applications increase soil phosphorus and calcium and raise pH. Guidance on ash dosage rates and pre‐treatment for emulating wildfire is required. As efforts to combat climate change intensify in Canada and around the world, the use of forest biomass to produce energy is expanding rapidly. At the same time, there is an urgent need for environmentally sustainable methods of handling the ash generated during biomass combustion. Currently, bioenergy ash is often landfilled, placing significant pressure on Canada's waste disposal infrastructure. In some countries, however, the use of bioenergy ash as a nutrient‐rich forest soil amendment is strongly encouraged. Given that forest management in Canada is often driven by the ‘emulation of natural disturbance’ paradigm, bioenergy ash could have potential as a management tool for improving wildfire emulation in harvested stands. We compared published values of wildfire ash chemistry with those for Canadian and European bioenergy ash and found that they are similar. We used meta‐analysis to examine changes in soil carbon and nitrogen pools, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable calcium and soil pH following wildfires and applications of bioenergy ash on upland forested sites. Both wildfires and bioenergy ash can reduce forest floor C and N pools: wildfires by direct combustion of organic matter, and ash applications by an apparent increase in organic matter decay. Both wildfires and bioenergy ash applications increase extractable P, exchangeable Ca and pH in surface mineral soils. Although bioenergy ash applications can trigger larger increases in available P and pH in surface mineral soils than wildfires, controlling ash dosage rates or pre‐treating the ash to slow the rate of nutrient release could attenuate some of these effects.

Innovative system of organization, accounting treatment of solid municipal and bulky waste, economic incentives for their separate collection and processing

Introduction. The approach to the creation and development of the system of separate collection and pre-treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) and bulky waste. At present, Russia is lagging behind in the level of waste disposal, the expedient use of secondary resources. One of the main reasons is the lack of a cost-effective system for managing waste and secondary resources. Despite the deteriorating environmental situation, the closure of landfills for municipal solid waste, the growth of unauthorized landfills, there has been a trend of growth in tariffs for removal and disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) and bulky waste affecting the entire population of Russia. This problem determines the need to find new scientific and methodological approaches and practical solutions for planning not only the placement of industrial waste disposal infrastructure, but also creating a system for separate collection and pretreatment of MSW and bulky waste in the sources of their formation, justification and optimization of the standards for the accumulation of this waste for citizens. Materials and methods. Materials for conducting a scientific research are: legal acts, standards, guidelines and recommendations, regulatory and technical documentation in the field of waste management, published materials of domestic and foreign scientific research. The methods of scientific research are based on the use of factor, comparative, expert types of analysis. Results. Optimization of the system for calculating the standard of accumulation of MSW and bulky waste is proposed; reducing the financial burden on citizens in terms of tariffs for garbage collection; economic incentives for the population to separate the collection of MSW with the pretreatment of the components of this waste to the level of demanded secondary resources. Conclusions. The introduction of the proposed system will allow achieving socio-economic, environmental, natural resource, political effect, consolidating the society to solve the problem of resource conservation, the use of secondary resources.

Emergy based carbon footprinting of household solid waste management scenarios in Pakistan

Waste management is a serious challenge across many resource constrained countries of the world leading to environmental issues such as pollution and high rates of soil occupation, health issues induced by poor hygienic conditions, and financial problems linked to the high costs associated to waste management, which have high impacts on municipal budget. In this study we determined the environmental impact of different waste disposal scenarios in a major city of Pakistan. Existing studies on the subject of waste management in Pakistan fail to account for the environmental burden of waste processing technologies. To counter this, in this paper we used Emergy based accounting procedures to obtain a donor or nature based perspective for environmental footprinting. Three scenarios were considered for the analysis consisting of the current practice of open dumping as Scenario A; sanitary landfilling with composting and material recycling as Scenario B and incineration with composting and recycling as Scenario C. Results were presented in the form of Emergy based input-output tables as well as greenhouse gas emissions as measured in kg CO2 equivalent (kCO2eq/t) per tonne of waste. Scenario A was the worst option due to its high emissions and lack of any useful output. Scenario B was identified as the best alternative as it resulted in similar amount of net emissions as Scenario C but with relatively lower stress on the environment as indicated by the Emergy indicators. In view of the subject city’s resource constraints we recommend inducing waste reduction and minimization practices through public awareness campaigns. Resource contributions from the civic society are also suggested for erecting the necessary waste disposal infrastructure. The results and suggestions presented herein need to be highlighted in a timely manner in order to resolve environmental and public health risks posed by the current practices.

Assessment of solid waste management systems in Ibadan North, Oyo State using geo-spatial techniques

Solid waste management has been part of human activities right from time. Effort by the Oyo State Government in managing the collection and disposal of waste generated in Ibadan is seen in the provision of Skip bins at specific locations across the city. However, despite the provisions made by the government, an emerging trend is the dumping of refuse along the median of some major and collector roads in the city. This study aims at emphasizing a planning framework for the location of solid waste disposal infrastructure (Skip bins) through the adoption of planning standard. The aim of this study was achieved by identifying the existing skip bins within Ibadan North. More so, a spatial analysis of skip bins and resident's access to solid waste facilities within Ibadan North was deduced. Geospatial techniques were used for this study; data from primary and secondary source were also used to corroborate the geospatial findings. The study identified a total of 37 skip bins located within Ibadan North Local Government, serving the entire Ibadan North. Spatial analysis of the skip bins revealed a clustered distribution which is consequential to indiscriminate solid waste disposal within Ibadan North. The study recommends adequate provision and location of skip bins to contribute to a cleaner and safer environment and a design blue print for Ibadan North was proposed.Keywords: GIS, Median, Nearest Neighbour Analysis (NNA), Skip Bins

Assessment of solid waste management systems in Ibadan North, Oyo State using geo-spatial techniques

Solid waste management has been part of human activities right from time. Effort by the Oyo State Government in managing the collection and disposal of waste generated in Ibadan is seen in the provision of Skip bins at specific locations across the city. However, despite the provisions made by the government, an emerging trend is the dumping of refuse along the median of some major and collector roads in the city. This study aims at emphasizing a planning framework for the location of solid waste disposal infrastructure (Skip bins) through the adoption of planning standard. The aim of this study was achieved by identifying the existing skip bins within Ibadan North. More so, a spatial analysis of skip bins and resident's access to solid waste facilities within Ibadan North was deduced. Geospatial techniques were used for this study; data from primary and secondary source were also used to corroborate the geospatial findings. The study identified a total of 37 skip bins located within Ibadan North Local Government, serving the entire Ibadan North. Spatial analysis of the skip bins revealed a clustered distribution which is consequential to indiscriminate solid waste disposal within Ibadan North. The study recommends adequate provision and location of skip bins to contribute to a cleaner and safer environment and a design blue print for Ibadan North was proposed. Keywords: GIS, Median, Nearest Neighbour Analysis (NNA), Skip Bins

Environmental Impacts of Waste Management Deficiencies and Health Issues: A Case Study in the City of Kaya, Burkina Faso

In this study, a stratified survey sampling was used in order to broaden our knowledge on the management systems of household waste in the town of Kaya/Burkina Faso. Population study consists of households of the town of Kaya. The sample size was fist determined using the sample size calculation formula. Then four (04) strata comprising the town of Kaya sectors that have a Health and Social Promotion Center (HSPC) have been considered. A random household selection method, used inside each stratum and a number of 468 households representative of the town’s population, was surveyed. We have addressed all solid and liquid waste management strategies in those four strata. For each stratum, waste disposal infrastructure, its management in the households and its impacts on the town’s environment and populations’ health were screened. Data collected are presented through descriptive statistics in mean of tables and graphs. Frequently reported diseases in the four HSPCs have been correlated with waste management and disposal methods in the town. Poor handling, evacuation and disposal of waste have numerous negatives impacts on the city’s environment such as proliferation of mosquitoes and flies, bad odors, visual pollution. These negatives impacts on the environment in turn have negatives impacts on the health of the city residents. Malaria appears the most encountered disease followed by Acute Respiratory Infection and Diarrhea. Suggestions aimed at improving waste management and the reduction of its deficiencies impacts on the health of the population has been made.

Perceived health status and environmental quality in the assessment of external costs of waste disposal facilities. An empirical investigation

Taxation for urban waste management has been reformed in Italy by the introduction of an environmental law in 2006. In the planning phase of waste management, externalities generated by new facilities remain widely unaccounted, with a consequent distortion for prices, often raising local conflicts. The paper presents a survey based on the choice modelling methodology, aimed to evaluate on a monetary scale the disamenity effect perceived by incinerator and landfills in an Italian urban context: the city of Turin. In a random utility framework the behaviour of respondents, whose choices are found to be driven by the endowment of information about technological options, socio-economic characteristics as income, education, family composition, and also by their health status was modelled. Furthermore, empirical evidence that the behaviour in residential location choices is affected by different aspects of the respondent life and in particular by the health status was found. Distinct estimates of willingness to accept compensation for disamenity effects of incinerator (Euro 2670) and landfill (Euro 3816) are elicited. The effect of health status of the respondents, their level of information about the waste disposal infrastructure, the presence of a subjective strong aversion (NIMBY) and the actual endowment and concentration of infrastructures are demonstrated to be significant factors determining the choice behaviour, but differentiated and specific for incinerators and landfills.

Protest responses and community attitudes toward accepting compensation to host waste disposal infrastructure

Despite the use of host community compensation to solve NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) siting difficulties in many industrialised countries, the effectiveness of this policy is still being debated in academic and policy-making arenas. In this paper, we examine attitudes held regarding compensation in communities directly impacted upon by final waste disposal infrastructure projects (landfill and incineration) in Ireland using survey responses to two contingent valuation (CV) scenarios and a question relating to preferences for compensation delivery. We find that communities in the pre-construction planning phase for locally undesirable development are less accepting of compensation offers to host the facility than are communities who have lived with such developments to host an extension to the existing facility in their localities. However, many of our respondents who initially reject compensation offers in the CV question go on to accept at least one compensation package in the later compensation preference question. Using this information allows us to draw a distinction between ‘Hardcore’ and ‘Switcher’ protesters to illustrate a more subtle picture of rejection of locally undesirable facilities and compensation packages than has previously been articulated. Using probit regression analysis, we find that property rights or NIMBY concerns – specifically, the treatment of non-local waste at the facility is a concern for many residents – drive this rejection of compensation. Finally, contrary to previous studies concerning preferences for host compensation, community compensation is not always preferred to individual compensation payments.

Host community attitudes towards solid waste landfill infrastructure: comprehension before compensation

One of the most controversial planning issues internationally is the siting of waste disposal infrastructure in local communities. Compensation is viewed as a possible solution to siting difficulties in many countries. However, existing empirical evidence is conflicting as to whether or not compensation-based siting has reduced opposition to such developments. Thus, before compensation policy can be considered as the solution for recognising social costs and introducing equity into the waste planning system, it is important to understand why people reject waste disposal infrastructure developments and if this rejection continues over the lifetime of facility operations. This paper utilises information gathered through surveys to examine the effects of distance, local authority consultation efforts, experience and other factors, on attitudes towards non-hazardous solid waste landfill developments in two examples of a potential and actual host communities. Our findings suggest distance proxies expectations of environmental risk in communities with no experience of living with landfill infrastructure. Community consultations by authorities are consistently important, even after a landfill has been in operation for a number of years. This suggests to policy makers to consult thoroughly and adequately before pursuing compensation policies.