Households’ Willingness-To-Pay and Participate In Source Separation of Solid Waste in the Accra and Tamale Metropolises, Ghana

Abstract

Solid Waste Management (SWM) has become a major problem in most cities of the world. However, many developed countries have managed to overcome this challenge by instituting the Integrated and Sustainable (Solid) Waste Management (ISWM) system. This practice reduces the cost of SWM, environmental pollution and increase lifespan of landfill. On the other hand, in most developing countries including Ghana where solid waste management financing remains an unsettling problem, most tenets of ISWM has received little attention both in terms of policy and practice. On this premise, the study examine the factors that influence households’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) and participation in source separation of solid waste in Accra and Tamale Metropolises in Ghana. The study employed the mixed methods in its data collection and analysis process and applied ordered probit and tobit regression models to estimate the determinants of households’ source separation behaviour and WTP for improved SWM services respectively. The results reveal that the current SWM practices in the study locations stand in sharp contrast to the tenets of ISWM. The findings further reveal that policy and practice focus mainly on solid waste collection and disposal at the expense of minimizing activities that are critical to sustainable management outcomes. On the factors influencing households’ WTP for improved services, as well as their participation in future source separation, socio-economic, socio-psychological and situational factors were identified as being most prominent. The study recommends the adoption and implementation of the tenets of the ISWM system that place equal importance on all the segments of the management cycle. It further calls for efficient governance structure involving all stakeholders in the SWM processes. Acknowledging the fact that the success of any SWM policy is dependent on making economic sense to service providers and beneficiaries, the study cautions against adopting one-size fit all policies.