Determinants of Household Waste Management in Urban Kerala: An Econometric Approach

Abstract

Solid waste generation has grown critical recently, emphasizing the need for civic involvement for ensuring waste management thereby environmental quality. This study uses the dichotomous choice approach of contingent valuation to investigate the willingness of urban Kerala families to pay for enhanced waste management. Secondly, the research investigates the factors determining households' readiness to pay for better waste management by employing multiple regression model. The study gathered information relating to waste management from 384 sample households of Calicut Municipal Corporation of Kerala through a stratified random sampling. The study found that the average household willingness to pay for better waste management is Rs.201 per month which is the market price placed by the households for a clean environment. The findings also indicate that households are indeed ready to pay for improved waste management and along with socio economics determinants, the waste generation level, proximity to dumping ground, and the availability of availability of a service for collecting waste are identified as the critical correlates of willingness.