Waste Management Services Research Articles

The Nordic biogas model: Conceptualization, societal effects, and policy recommendations

Because biogas systems may take many forms, utilizing different feedstock and finding different end uses for the biogas, it is becomes difficult to produce explanations, inferences, and conclusions about biogas systems in general, which is why concepts for specific types of biogas systems are needed. This paper introduces the concept of the Nordic biogas model, an urban waste-based biogas system where biogas is upgraded to biomethane and used as transport fuel and the digestate applied as biofertilizer on farmland. The Nordic biogas model has three functions, namely, renewable transport fuel production, waste management service, and biofertilizer production that all bring secondary and tertiary positive societal effects, such as reduced climate gas emissions and productivity benefits to industry. This has implications for environmental and sustainability assessment of the Nordic biogas model as the multi-functionality must be considered when choosing reference scenarios, system boundary, and indicators to use within assessments. Finally, the paper discusses policy recommendations for supporting the implementation of the Nordic biogas model. Such policy should respect the multi-functionality of the Nordic biogas model by creating coherent policy mixes that neither neglect nor over-compensate for the multi-functionality of the Nordic biogas model.

Assessment of the Legal Framework Regulating Waste Management in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the difficulties associated with waste management have taken on a major dimension during the past several decades. The high population growth rate and rise in economic activity in Bangladesh's metropolitan regions, along with a lack of waste management training, make attempts to enhance waste management services difficult. In Bangladesh, per capita, trash output in urban residential areas is much greater than in rural residential areas. The nations' capacity to collect, handle, dispose of, or recycle the trash in a cost-effective way is severely constrained. Bangladesh, like the rest of the globe, has seen a considerable increase in environmental threats. Attackers in the atmosphere represent an overwhelming danger to humans and other living things. Wetlands, aquatic bodies, coral reefs, and the seas are all threatened by the dumping of hazardous waste and pollution from land-based sources. There is also rising worry about the negative socioeconomic, public health, and environmental effects of e-waste toxicity. Standard technology, infrastructure, skilled staff, and budgetary constraints are significant problems for private business owners. They now require e-waste management standards and guidelines in order to do business in an environmentally sustainable manner. Whereas many developed and developing nations have established a scientific method for efficient garbage disposal, Bangladesh has yet to formulate a "Comprehensive National Strategy" to effectively manage the problem of trash disposal. Some laws and regulations, such as the Environment Conservation Act of 1995, contain measures for the reduction and control of waste emissions from diverse sources, as well as their disposal. The goal of this study is to look into and evaluate how useful Bangladesh's current laws are for managing waste.

Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia

Abstract Contracting waste management services is one of the most commonly used approaches to the delivery of this service and this topic is clearly in the focus of frequent academic research. The goal of this article is to examine trends in the area of solid waste collection and disposal on the municipal level for the Czech Republic and Slovakia in terms of developments over the past 20 years with a focus on the share of inter-municipal cooperation in the delivery of this service. In contrast to Western European countries, which are undergoing re-municipalization, the data obtained for Slovakia and the Czech Republic over 20 years show that the municipal solid waste management service is dominated by contracting, which has increased over the examined period. This fact is apparently a reflection of the high rate of fragmentation in municipal structures and the low willingness among municipalities to cooperate. The data obtained also indicate that using external suppliers seems to bring marginal savings that could certainly be substantially larger; potential increases in efficiency via contracting are unequivocally limited by the low quality of contract management. Regarding our core question, we found that the proportion of inter-municipal cooperation between service delivery modes did not significantly increase during the investigated period. The experts interviewed almost uniformly agreed on three critical limits related to the issue of inter-municipal cooperation in MSW management delivery – transaction costs of different types, non-existent regular comparisons of best solutions, and limited motivation to select optimal service delivery modes.

Integrated Management of Construction and Demolition Waste as Key Factor of Urban Circular Economy

This paper has highlighted the importance of implementing a comprehensive action plan to promote the circular economy at municipal level using as a case study of the municipality of Kavala in the management of construction and demolition waste. There is a strong interest in this particular sector due to the significant building stock that requires demolition and also the pressures to the municipal waste management services due to the small-scale renovations of mainly short-term tourist accommodation. This study was conducted to understand the impact of an integrated strategic circular economy approach to urban sustainable development and resilience. To identify this correlation, the upper strategy was analyzed in its partial components and key pillars following the four-helix model while a link with the broader theoretical framework was formulated. Of particular added value is the underlining of the barriers and weaknesses identified during the planning process, which can act as a pilot in all corresponding Greek medium-sized cities. The results suggest that the integrated management of construction and demolition waste, which comprises actions at all distinct stages (raising awareness, planning, implementation and monitoring) have a positive impact on achieving the SDGs and in creating conditions for urban resilience. However, a quantitative assessment is recommended in order to evaluate through specific indicators when this strategy moves into the implementation phase.

Integration of Public Service Information Systems for the Management of Non-Tax State Revenues at the Center for Radioactive Waste Technology

In today’s millennial era, technological developments have had a positive impact in terms of increasing convenience in all aspects of community life, business, economy and trade. Most government organizations are oriented to public services which must always be dynamic in keeping up with increasingly sophisticated technological advances, as well as increasingly complex work demands. Therefore, all ministries and institutions compete to create technological innovations that can provide convenience for partners in obtaining fast, efficient and effective public services. Public services in the central government are generally closely related to non-tax state revenue (PNBP). The Center for Radioactive Waste Technology (PTLR) is one of the institutions within BATAN that provides public services in the form of radioactive waste management services to BATAN’s stakeholders. To improve the quality of its public services, and PTLR performance as a PNBP management institution, PTLR created the E-LIRA webbased administration service application. Stakeholders can easily apply for radioactive waste management services without having to come in person so as to save costs and time. Since its launch in 2017, the E-LIRA application has been further developed by integrating several other government applications to address other problems and preferences of PTLR’s partners. The integration of E-LIRA and the SIMPONI application of the Ministry of Finance is expected to provide convenience for the revenue treasurer as an internal party in managing PNBP, as the treasurer will no longer need to issue billing to external partners who can easily print the bill and obtain valid proof of payment.
 Keywords: public service, E-LIRA, PNBP

Institutional factors determining costs of municipal waste management in the Czech Republic

This paper analyses the role of selected institutional factors on the costs of waste management in the Czech Republic, a country with extreme territorial fragmentation. The analysis is based on two original datasets from 2,065 municipalities. A model is constructed which determines the relevance of selected factors with respect to the unit cost of waste management service and also highlights the differences between 2014 and 2019. The results are, largely extent, similar to the findings of existing international research related to this topic, but with some specificities. Our data show a significant effect of contracting out on cost reduction and a statistically insignificant effect of public mode of production on unit costs. They also suggest that intermunicipal cooperation has a cost-reducing effect, but public-private partnerships, increased market concentration and the provision by multinationals have a cost-increasing effect. The impact of economies of scale on cost reduction is somehow visible but cannot be confirmed, especially for larger scale territories. The data also suggest a possible beginning of a process of remunicipalisation, but the time series is insufficient to demonstrate this trend.

Impacts of joint municipal agencification on the democratic governance of waste management

PurposeThe study examines how introducing joint municipal arm's length bodies (ALBs) into municipal waste management has influenced the preconditions of democratic governance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors describe and explain the democratic implications of joint municipal agencification by reviewing the perspectives of representative and participative democracy. Through this approach, the authors apply the exit–voice framework developed by Albert Hirschman to highlight the potential roles and rights of citizens. This research includes country case studies of Finland and Norway. The authors analyse and systematize Finnish and Norwegian waste and organizational policies by reviewing national regulatory documents, commentaries and guidance materials to identify the fundamental missions and institutional traditions of the alternative organizational forms of joint ALBs.FindingsThe study findings highlight that joint agencification has an adverse effect on the democratic governance of waste management policy and services even though these are public monopoly services. They also demonstrate that all joint municipal ALBs limit the classic elements of representative democracy in general, and that private-law ALBs limit residents' rights to influence and participate.Originality/valueThis study contributes to local public management studies by applying Hirschman's theory to comparative reviews of joint agencification and ALBs. It revealed the similarities and differences between the different organizational forms of joint ALBs applied in Finland and Norway. It also demonstrated how the democratic rights of residents depend on how municipalities collaborate.

Determinants of Satisfaction with Solid Waste Management Services: A Central-Local Comparison in China.

The Chinese central government proclaimed a mandatory or demonstration waste separation policy in some cities or counties to manage the increasing amounts of generated waste since 2017. Many cities and regions have also begun to build waste separation management systems and institutions, and community managers have created waste management rules and provided separation management services under the guidance of local government. However, little is known about how these policies or services have performed and the degree of residents’ satisfaction, especially regarding the central government. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the consequence of these policies using residents’ community and national satisfaction levels with solid waste management services (SWMS) and their determinants. An online survey in 2021 showed that the overall satisfaction levels of communities and national SWMS are similar, but the differences between rural and urban regions are significant. Residents’ satisfaction with community SWMS in urban regions was higher than national satisfaction, and the results in rural regions was contrary. The determinants of community and national satisfaction were also different and varied by region. To improve satisfaction, the government need to standardize basic management systems in different types of regions, gradually improve management services and institutions in rural areas and non-pilot cities and provide special services or facilities for less healthy residents.

THE TRANSITION TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IS A NEW WAY OF THINKING BOTH FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES OF LATVIA AND END-USERS

INTRODUCTION
 The subject of the research is the different models of the circular economy. The object of the research will be SMEs in different economic sectors. The research hypothesis can be defined as the transition to the circular economy and is an essential element in achieving high production efficiency in companies from a long-term perspective. The research aims to create an adapted model for the transition to the circular economy for Latvia's SMEs.
 Although several circular economy good practices have already been implemented through eco-innovative projects in Latvia (treatment of different types of construction waste, plastics recycling etc.), there is still free capacity for many other projects. The research will use existing circular economy methodologies (for example, different checklists and questions) to strengthen both qualitative and quantitative methods.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 The research will use both qualitative and quantitative methods – 5 methods have been used so far in total.
 Overall structured interview – the basic questionnaire has 13 questions and the additional questionnaire has 41 questions.
 RESULTS
 Expected results of the research will be the following – new criteria issued for SMEs for the transition to the circular economy in the long-term perspective, adapted model for SMEs issued for transition to the circular economy and recommendations and suggestions issued for developing the eco-innovation market.
 Until now 2 overall questionnaires (hereinafter - Q) have been prepared – main Q with basic 13 questions in google format and additional Q with 41 questions in google format. Until now (accessed basic Q: 20 February 2022) 74 answers have been received out of 499 respondents from different stakeholder groups (basic Q), and 16 answers have been received out of 38 respondents (additional Q). Nevertheless, the study concentrates on the involvement of different companies from different industrial branches; until now, company activity has been least observed.
 DISCUSSION
 One of the explanations for such a low level of activity can be explained by the COVID-19 restrictions influencing the overall low interest from the side of companies to be involved in any scientific studies.
 Future work needs to focus on changes to the approach of how to involve more companies in increasing the total number and activity.
 In the following research, there is no longer a necessity to decrease the number of sectors chosen because the circular economy's elements can be implemented in all 5 sectors; not only in waste management and food production.
 In the following research it is necessary to indicate and analyse the responses given in the additional questionnaire and provide feedback from expert interviews.
 A new element in the following study is also the so-called “end-user” role and possibility of being involved and participating in achieving green goals for Latvia until 2027, 2030 or from an even longer perspective. As it is defined, circular economy is not only a new industrial production model, but also a new model for end users (energy efficiency measures, waste sorting, usage of deposit system).
 CONCLUSIONS
 Until now the author can conclude that there is critically low interest and responses received, which is the total opposite of trends such as “sustainable development”, “green deal”, “social responsibility” nowadays.
 It can also be concluded that more than 80% of all respondents want to live in a clean environment (breathe fresh air, drink clean water, use appropriate sewage and waste management services) and mainly understand the main principles of the circular economy from one side. From another side, the responses given said – there is no necessity, or it is only necessary to invest as little as possible to implement eco-innovations (green technologies).
 It can also be concluded that there is mostly a positive attitude to new approaches, different initiatives and projects, but only with condition that the source of financing is the state budget.
 Practical application of the adapted model could be described as a possible IT green market tool where a wide range of eco-innovations (technologies, standards, costs etc.) will be collected and sorted. Waste management, food production, electricity, water, port sector SMEs can use such a tool for appropriate analysis and decision-making before investing.

Estimating the cost of achieving basic water, sanitation, hygiene, and waste management services in public health-care facilities in the 46 UN designated least-developed countries: a modelling study

SummaryBackgroundAn alarming number of public health-care facilities in low-income and middle-income countries lack basic water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and waste management services. This study estimates the costs of achieving full coverage of basic WASH and waste services in existing public health facilities in the 46 UN designated least-developed countries (LDCs).MethodsIn this modelling study, in-need facilities were quantified by combining published counts of public facilities with estimated basic WASH and waste service coverage. Country-specific per-facility capital and recurrent costs to deliver basic services were collected via survey of country WASH experts and officials between Sept 24 and Dec 24, 2020. Baseline cost estimates were modelled and discounted by 5% per year. Key assumptions were adjusted to produce lower and upper estimates, including adjusting the discount rate to 8% and 3% per year, respectively.FindingsAn estimated US$6·5 billion to $9·6 billion from 2021 to 2030 is needed to achieve full coverage of basic WASH and waste services in public health facilities in LDCs. Capital costs are $2·9 billion to $4·8 billion and recurrent costs are $3·6 billion to $4·8 billion over this time period. A mean of $0·24–0·40 per capita in capital investment is needed each year, and annual operations and maintenance costs are expected to increase from $0·10 in 2021 to $0·39–0·60 in 2030. Waste management accounts for the greatest share of costs, requiring $3·7 billion (46·6% of the total) in the baseline estimates, followed by $1·8 billion (23·1%) for sanitation, $1·5 billion (19·5%) for water, and $845 million (10·7%) for hygiene. Needs are greatest for non-hospital facilities ($7·4 billion [94%] of $7·9 billion) and for facilities in rural areas ($5·3 billion [68%]).InterpretationInvestment will need to increase to reach full coverage of basic WASH and waste services in public health facilities. Financial needs are modest compared with current overall health and WASH spending, and better service coverage will yield substantial health benefits. To sustain services and prevent degradation and early replacement, countries will need to routinely budget for operations and maintenance of WASH and waste management assets.FundingWHO (including underlying grants from the governments of Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK), World Bank (including an underlying grant from the Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership), and UNICEF.TranslationsFor the Arabic, French and Portuguese translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

An assessment of ecosystem degradation and poverty: a case study of Obafemi-Owode local government area, Ogun State, Nigeria

Ecosystem services have continued to dwindle due to human activities, with likely implications for the dependent populations. This paper assesses the relationship between poverty and ecosystem degradation within the peri-urban domain of Obafemi-Owode local government area (LGA) using a range of research methods including satellite imagery analysis to track land-use change, economic valuation of ecosystem services, and surveys to construct a multidimensional poverty index (MPI). The analysis shows that vegetation and wetlands have been replaced with built-up area and savannahs. This has resulted in a net loss in the value of ecosystem services worth US$ 11.3 million, most of which is attributable to the decline in waste-management services provided by peri-urban wetlands. The major activities cited as causing environmental degradation were lumbering and land clearing, which were perceived to be deepening poverty through water contamination, food shortages, loss of farmlands, unemployment, increased erosion, epidemics and dropping out of school.

Utilization of Household Waste into Eco-Enzyme in Gitik Village, Rogojampi District, Banyuwangi

The waste heap of Banyuwangi Regency in 2019 was ± 3,387 m3/day with an increasing trend over the last 10 years. It came from settlements, markets, parks, drainage, and other places, which only part of it could be transported to the landfill due to the declining capacity of the landfill. In addition, waste management services mostly only cover urban areas, while in rural areas are usually carried out on-site by people as did in Gitik Village, Rogojampi District. Waste management did traditionally and partly subscribing to waste transport services. Waste transported by the service is only dumped with an open dumping way, due to the unavailability of landfil facilities in Gitik Village. The existence of waste transport services has not been utilized by all the rural people, because some of them were constrained by the cost of waste service fees. As a result, many piles of household waste are still found in various places that cause environmental pollution. The most common complaint felt by the people regarding the impact of pollution is the pungent smell of waste which usually comes from household organic waste. The solution that can be done to overcome these problems is to process household organic waste into eco-enzymes. The eco-enzyme produced from this program can be used by people for many household activities including farming. In addition, environmental cleanliness can also be improved by reducing the amount of household organic waste that is disposed of around settlements.

Household Solid WasteManagement in the Dominican Republic: Case of the Municipality of Puñal, Santiago

One of the biggest problems that the Dominican Republic has had in recent decades is the efficient management of solid domestic waste. This problem has worsened in recent years due to the decrease in available areas for the construction of sanitary landfills, the lack of recycling culture in the population, the deficiency in waste collection, and the scarce legal controls aimed at preserving water, air and soil among other factors. The objective of this study is to explore the management of solid waste by the population and the municipality of Puñal, province of Santiago, to evaluate and analyze the situation and generation of solid waste, municipal solid waste management services, and the attitudes of the population regarding recycling projects and waste management. A total of 275 households from 29 localities in the municipality of Puñal were surveyed, which allowed for a significant population sample. According to the results, the most significant type of waste produced by families is organic waste, followed by plastic waste and paper. Of the total organic waste produced in the municipality, 53% of solids wastes are handled through the municipal waste collection system, while 47% is used as plant fertilizers or animal feed. On the other hand, most households receive the municipal waste collection service and pay for this service, through which the municipal government collects, processes, and deposits the waste in different landfills. However, a more efficient waste collection system and the development of programs and projects that allow households to manage the solid waste efficiently they produce would be necessary.

“Where does it go?”: Perceptions and problems of riverine and marine litter amongst South Africa and Malawi’s urban poor

With the world’s oceans in crisis, citizen knowledge and awareness around riverine and marine waste has become an increasingly crucial topic of study. For most investigations, spatial analysis has centered on the coastline, or most specifically the beach, i.e., the space where most respondents (urban, Northern, middle class), encounter marine litter. Yet, by focusing onthe beachas the primary space of analysis, most studies have severely limited the scope of citizens they can engage, because in many African cities it is a space of exclusion. Moreover, for individuals further upstream, in spaces distant from the coast, what are their understandings of riverine and marine litter? What is their knowledge of the hydrological systems standing between them and the sea, and how do they see their ability to influence them? Drawing on extensive qualitative fieldwork in low-income, riverine adjacent communities in Durban, South Africa, and Blantyre, Malawi, the purpose of this article is to understand how Africa’s urban poor experience and understand riverine and marine litter. The study utilises Foucault’s notion of problematisations, and more recent adaptations of Foucault’s work toward waste as a lens to conceptualise processes of problem formation: how individual respondents view riverine and marine litter as aproblem. Findings suggest that problematisations around waste, in the community and in the hydrological system, are formed through daily experience and personal hardship; in the case of Blantyre, through the perceived impact waste can have on hydroelectricity generation, and in Johanna Road, by its contribution to flooding within the community. However, understandings of the marine environment and respondents’ impact on the hydrological system, remain limited. Recommendations include rooting education and messaging around riverine and marine litter within low-income individuals’ lived realities. However, any interventions targeted towards the poormustbe accompanied by broader systemic change: improving access to solid waste management services and creating cleaner and more equitable communities.

OPTIMIZATION STRATEGY FOR SOLID TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The increase in the number of hospitals in Indonesia has resulted in an increase in medical waste. Hospital activities have resulted in an increase in B3 waste which manages various problems. This research focuses on finding solutions and strategies in the framework of optimizing solid medical waste (B3) management. In particular, the optimization of medical waste management (B3) services involves several special analyzes, namely: priority needs, opportunities and constraints, and innovative work formulation programs. This study utilizes the Interpreted Structural Model (ISM) method to generate a priority scale in the management of solid B3 waste. This study found an analysis of the priority needs of mass education for all employees regarding the handling of solid B3 waste. Analysis of opportunities to increase stakeholder awareness of the dangers of B3 waste. The priority for solving the problem is that the organizational staffing is not complete according to the job description.

Kualitas Pelayanan Pengelolaan Sampah Masyarakat Di Kota Ambon

The city of Ambon is a center for the development of education, services, trade and the center of government which can lead to an increase in waste disposal which is increasingly varied and increasing. So that the Ambon City Government issued Regional Regulation Number 18 of 2015 as an umbrella law for managing waste, namely when waste is collected, transported to the Final Disposal Site (TPA) so that good and fast waste management is needed. This research was conducted to measure the quality of community waste management services in Ambon City. The research method used is descriptive quantitative with a random sampling approach to 87 research respondents. The conclusions of the study are (1). indicators of socialization of Regional Regulation No. 18 of 2015 Ambon City Government has not yet had incentives to disseminate information to the public. (2). The indicator of the quality of public facilities and infrastructure services assesses that the City Government has not been maximal in preparing the quality of garbage disposal sites in Ambon City.

"You need to dispose of them somewhere safe": Covid-19, masks, and the pit latrine in Malawi and South Africa.

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has generated an immense amount of potentially infectious waste, primarily face masks, which require rapid and sanitary disposal in order to mitigate the spread of the disease. Yet, within Africa, large segments of the population lack access to reliable municipal solid waste management (SWM) services, both complicating the disposal of hazardous waste, and public health efforts. Drawing on extensive qualitative fieldwork, including 96 semi-structured interviews, across four different low-income communities in Blantyre, Malawi and Durban, South Africa, the purpose of this article is to respond to a qualitative gap on mask disposal behaviours, particularly from within low-income and African contexts. Specifically, our purpose was to understand what behaviours have arisen over the past year, across the two disparate national contexts, and how they have been influenced by individual risk perceptions, established traditional practice, state communication, and other media sources. Findings suggest that the wearing of cloth masks simplifies disposal, as cloth masks can (with washing) be reused continuously. However, in communities where disposable masks are more prevalent, primarily within Blantyre, the pit latrine had been adopted as the most common space for 'safe' disposal for a used mask. We argue that this is not a new behaviour, however, and that the pit latrine was already an essential part of many low-income households SWM systems, and that within the Global South, the pit latrine fulfils a valuable and uncounted solid waste management function, in addition to its sanitation role.

Residents’ Participation in Solid Waste Management in Solwezi District, Zambia

Purpose: Community participation in solid waste management is currently seen as a determinant of successful solid waste management. Cases of failed solid waste management are common in areas where the waste management is regarded as a responsibility of local authorities while the community remains indifferent. Research has shown that public participation in solid waste management is marginal in most African countries. The study was aimed at analysing the residents’ participation in solid waste management in Solwezi. Results are cardinal in designing more sustainable waste management strategies.
 Methodology: It utilized systematic random sampling to sample 77 households of which 28 were from Kyawama Township, 23 from Stadium and 26 were from Kandundu Townships. Structured interviews, key informant interviews and observations were used to collect data on methods of waste disposal, residents’ perceptions of solid waste management services available, and their willingness to pay for sustainable solid waste management. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, chi-square, Pearson product-moment correlation and content analysis.
 Findings: Results showed that 65 % of the residents felt that they did not participate in any formal waste management practices. The 35 % who admitted to being participants felt they did this through waste separation, reuse and through their engaging a formal waste collector. In Solwezi, burying of waste (44.2 %) was the dominant waste management practice followed by formal waste collection (35 %) and burning (19.4 %)., while informal waste collectors accounted for 2.6 % of waste disposed of and 1.3 % of waste was disposed of through communal rubbish bins. Solwezi had very low participation of the residents in formal waste collection services with some residents not aware of the existence of such a service in the town (31.2 %). Among barriers to community engagement in solid waste management in Solwezi were a lack of knowledge of the existence of formal waste collection systems (35 %), failure by the local municipal council to provide waste bins either in residential areas or streets (13 %), relatively high costs of engaging in formal solid waste management and a lack of alternative cheaper ways of managing domestic solid waste. There was a general willingness by most residents to pay for sustainable solid waste management (57.2 %) with only 2.6 % indicating they felt that the local municipal council should treat waste management as a service that residents do not have to pay for
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: In conclusion, the low community participation in solid waste management in Solwezi was attributed to failure to adequately sensitize residents by the municipal council. Residents’ attitudes towards sustainable management of solid waste and community engagement in decisions related to solid waste management by the local authority was token at best. The study recommended sensitization in community participation as well as incentivizing champions of community waste management as a way of improving community participation in solid waste management.

Household Preferences for Improved Solid Waste Management (SWM) Services: A Randomized Conjoint Analysis in Kathmandu Metropolitan Ward No. 10

Solid waste management (SWM) is a severe environmental concern in many developing countries. The rapid pace of urban population growth and economic development worldwide has led to the increasing generation of municipal solid waste. A large amount of solid waste remains uncollected in metropolitan cities daily due to collection inefficiency. Kathmandu in Nepal also faces the same situation. Due to the lack of relevant studies, this study contributes to research based on quantitative evidence from households’ preference to think about the priority of making effective waste management policies. Prior studies have been less concerned with actual households’ preference or tendencies to improve current SWM (although most of them have pointed out existing waste problems such as the increasing presence of garbage and its composition). This study examines which factors have a causal effect on household decisions to choose improved SWM facilities in Kathmandu, Nepal by using a randomized conjoint experiment useful for effectively identifying respondents’ preference for SWM. Data were collected from 400 randomly selected households using paper questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Since those households answered choice-card selection five times (and for two kinds of types), the observation number totaled 4000. Our results show that attributes such as monthly service charges, intermediate facilities, and temporary garbage collection spots have a significant effect on respondents’ preferences, while most households still tend to prefer current SWM services. The findings will aid SWM planners in developing and implementing an effective SWM policy that takes household preferences into account.

Cigarette butt littering consequences: a study of pollution rate on beaches and urban environments.

Cigarette butts are hazardous wastes that are not properly discarded by most smokers. They are one of the most abundant litters in the environment and a threat to various organisms because they leak numerous pollutants. This study aimed to assess the distribution of cigarette butts in a coastal city south of the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Observations were performed using the visual survey technique based on standardized protocol. The results showed 11,261 littered cigarette butts in 15 studied urban areas ( an average of 0.306 units per square meter). Also, the average density of littered cigarette butts on the studied beaches was 0.106 per square meter. The littered cigarette butts had significant spatial variation, and the number of counts was 135 to 2090. The land-use has a significant effect on the density of littered cigarette butts due to its population density. The inquiry's index demonstrated that 33.3% of the studied urban areas are high pollution and severe pollution, while all beaches are high and severe. Therefore, a significant focus must be considered to reduce cigarette butts littering due to the collection problems and challenges of cigarette butt management. Because the pollution on the beaches is higher than in urban areas, improving waste management services and establishing a regular cleaning program are essential.