Abstract

Many cities in the world are adopting a free paying system to enable them meet up with cost of solid waste management (SWM). The effectiveness of this system is influence by the willingness to pay (WTP) by the community and their level of awareness of environmental issues. This study sought to determine the WTP and the level of awareness of the inhabitants of Mamfe Town, Cameroon for improved SWM. In carrying out the study, 371 households were sampled in a randomly through interviews, guided questionnaires, followed by Statistical analysis by multiple regression analysis in SPSS 21.0 and contingent valuation method (CVM) to identify the determinants of WTP values. The results showed that Mamfe residents had relatively good environmental awareness. With regard to Mamfe environmental quality, 51.5% expressed their satisfactions on current situation. About 74.5% thought that the water pollution caused by poor waste disposal in Mamfe was more serious than other two environmental pollutions. The survey data revealed a positive attitude towards source separation in Mamfe. 73.1% were willing to sort solid waste at home, if the government required them to do so. In addition, on the important of improvement of the solid waste recycling in Mamfe, “enhancing residents’ environmental awareness was considered as the most effective methods, accounting for about 68.6%. Regarding the WTP bid questions, most of our respondent (85.1%), show a positive attitude towards WTP for an improved SWM in Mamfe. Probit and Tobit regression analysis reveal factors such as age, employment type, household type and income of the respondent have a significant relationship with willingness to pay at (p<0.05). The monthly mean WTP was 1000FRS per household and annual WTP was approximately 60 million FRS for all of Mamfe town. The results can be useful for understanding the residents’ attitudes and WTP for solid waste disposal, for the policymakers and managers, and used to promote the recycling of solid waste in Mamfe.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to The Study

Urbanization process and rapid population growth in many cities and towns in the world have been reported as one of the reasons for the increase in solid waste (SW) generation in developing countries (Ali et al., 2012). According to Hagoset al. (2012), the rapid expansion and diversification of socio-economic activities in these urban and fast growing towns have also contributed to a lot of environmental problems including poor solid waste disposal, poor liquid waste management, and air pollution.

Global solid waste generation in 2012, according to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2012), was 1.3 billion tones. This amount is estimated to rise to 2.2 billion tons/year by 2025, with much of the increase as a result of rapidly growing cities especially in developing countries. The UNEP indicates that low income countries are expected to generate about 213 million tons of solid waste a day with the population rising to about 676 million by 2025. Lower middle income countries are also projected to generate about 956 million tons of solid waste per day while their population is projected to reach 2.08 billion by 2025 (UNEP, 2012). More so, waste generation is estimated to reach 360 million tons/day by 2025 in upper middle income countries with expected population of 619 million. For high income nations however, waste generation a day by 2025 will be about 686 million tones at a population of 912 million (UNEP, 2012).

Inadequate and ineffective management of wastes worldwide leads to generating a lot of human and environmental problems like ozone layer depletion, acidic rains, greenhouse effects as well as land and epidemic diseases (Ali et al., 2012). Across the African continent, the rate of urbanization is around 3.5% and the rate is expected to rise in the future (UNESCO, 2009). This high rate of unplanned urbanization has a significant negative effects on the environment such as pollution and degradation. Cameroon as one of developing countries with little technological advancement and financially constrained, it experiences severe impacts of poor waste management. According to Kasim and Ali, (2006), the problems come from the little public awareness about the nature and impacts of these solid wastes they produce.

Solid waste management (SWM) is very crucial to households living in rural and urban areas because waste has reported to be directly linked to the development of human activities in terms of technologies and social aspects (Awuyoet al., 2013). Waste are by-products generated as a results of human activities. Since the waste materials produced cannot be used for other things, they need to be disposed of effectively.

In the past, SWM is the responsibility of the government finance by general revenue. However, in recent years, partly as a result of austerity and structural adjustment policies and pressures from multilateral financial institutions, and partly as a result of pressures to limit taxes, various governments have increasingly focused on identifying specific revenue sources for waste management (Longeet al., 2009).

In Cameroon, the problem of solid waste management (SWM) has been a concern which has existed for long in Mamfe and in other big towns like Buea, Limbe, and Douala.

The management of solid waste is today one of the important obligatory functions of the Local Government Areas (The Councils) in the entire country.

The root of the problem includes but not limited to lack of financial resources, weak institutional and legal frame work. Others are inappropriate choice of technology, inadequate collection and transportation systems as well as unsafe final disposal options (Arrey2005; Manga et al., 2008; Tambeet al., 2012). The public confidence on the ability and the capability of the Local Councils to play to properly manage their waste, diminished in the face of mounting heaps of refuse on major roads and highways.

Even though the fundamental objectives of any solid waste management Programme are tominimize environmental pollution, these goals become unachievable in the absence of sustained funding, affordable local technological option and lack of participatory approach to integrated solid waste management. Currently, in Cameroon, household waste of different sources are mixed and co-disposed without any form of segregation and sorting (Din-Louis, 2015). Household waste could contain hazardous and toxic waste such as expired drugs, broken glass, syringes and thus constitute serious environmental and health hazards (Tambeet al., 2007).

In the past, solid waste management was not the priority of previous Municipal administrators (the Council). With growth in size and population, it became necessary for the Council authorities to take appropriate measures with regard to the collection and treatment of solid waste. Presently, the Council has a hygiene and sanitation service, but the technicians engaged are less competent in waste management techniques. Despite the willingness of Municipal Authorities to embark on a waste management Programme, the initiatives are not accompanied by the necessary financial resources. As for now, the Council has only one collection vehicle that collects waste generated once a month from one collection point (the Market-Square). Waste produced by households in the uncollected zones are generally disposed of in streams, valleys or roads sides. Garbage disposal in Mamfe became a community health problem in 2003 when municipal authorities discovered that run-off from the town washes to the Baku River that flows to the Badi River which serves as the main source of drinking water to the population of Mamfe. During this period, medical authorities reported an outbreak of Typhoid caused by the above contaminated water sources (Arrey, 2005).

Creating an effective municipal solid waste management should be a priority for every emerging city, given their crucial role in protecting public health and the environment. Efforts in the management of waste in most cities are focused on the different technical means of collection and disposal (Medina, 2002). More recently, many cities in developing countries particularly Cameroon, have begun paying more attention to enhancing municipal systems and sustainable solid-waste service delivery, with special emphasis on involving the private sector.

 

1.2  Statement of The Problems

Waste is an unavoidable consequence of the consumption and production activities of a society. Proper handling of waste is becoming a serious problem of cities all over the world especially in developing countries where financial and technical scarcity is very serious.

Environmental problems in Cameroon are results of many contributing factors. These include unplanned construction of houses, uncontrolled location of industries and factories, migration of people almost from all corners of the country, and most importantly, of course, is the inability of the government to find efficient ways to manage and finance environment needs of the people.

In this regard, various researchers in different parts of the world conducted their study to identify and analyze the determinants of households’ contribution or WTP for improved solid waste management in their respective countries. Some of the most important works areMuradet al.(2006), Afrozet al. (2009), Banga et al. (2011), Ali et al. (2012), Hagoset al. (2012), Song et al. (2012),  Subhanet al. (2014), Kweteyet al. (2014) and Nkansahet al. (2015).

However, in Cameroon no studies on the demand side of waste management have been carried out that look at household’s WTP for an improved SWM. Most studies carried out, for example, Manga et al (2008) focus on waste management policy perspectives, Mbenget al. (2012) and Tambe et al. (2012) examine waste characteristics in Limbe and Kumba respectively, Din-Louis (2015) look at household waste practices in Limbe and Baboucar (2015) examine community perception of MSW in Buea.

Mamfe is one of the fastest growing town in Cameroon demographically and economically. The production of solid waste in Mamfe town has increase in amount and as well in composition, which ultimately creates a critical issue to waste authorities in Mamfe. According to studies conducted by Arrey (2005), an average person in the town produces 280gramms of waste per day, with no collection and disposal facilities set up in the town for proper waste management. This is likely to cause serious public health problems through possible eruption of diseases, including often fatal water-borne diseases, such as cholera, diarrhea and dysentery, as householders dump their waste on streams, rivers, road sides that eventually lead to health diseases and thus making the environment aesthetically unfriendly.

Despite the critical problem on SWM service, little has been done to examine the households’ WTP for improved SWM services in Mamfe Town. There is a lack of information on household WTP for the services provided. Therefore, this study examined the households’ WTP for improved SWM services in Mamfe town, by examining the extent of households’ participation, their attitudes towards improve SWM action and the factors influencing households’ WTP and the MWTP value. The output of this study will provide useful recommendations to policy makers and other stakeholders to improve SWM system in Mamfe Town and the country at large.

 

1.3  Rationale of The Study

Establishing effective Council SWM services is an important role in protecting the environment to improve sanitary and public health.  Mamfe Town is experiencing rapid urbanization and increasing urban population due to territorial expansion, increased rural-urban migration rate and the increasing per capita incomes in the region. This has led to the increased production of solid waste in the town.

The production has increased rapidly in terms of waste amount as well as composition, which ultimately creates a critical issue for waste management authority. As one of the strategies to improve sanitary services in the town, the Mamfe Town Council decided to contract a private firm which would collects fees for SWM service from the community. There is a presence of uncontrolled wastes on the streets, including Market Centre’s, and homes.

Therefore, the key question here is how much household residents are willing to pay for efficient and cost-effective delivery of SWM services to their households. The aim of this study is therefore to examine the extent of households’ participation, their attitudes towards SWM actions and factors influencing households’ WTP and the MWTP value; and to suggest mechanisms for improving the participation of communities in SWM. The output of this study also provides useful recommendations for future studies to other regions in the country or to other national contexts of a similar set-up to test and extend the generalizations of the findings.

 

1.4 Objectives of The Study

1.6.1.   General Objective

To make an analysis and assessment of public attitudes and behavior towards the improvement of solid waste management in the Mamfe Town by looking at the people’s willingness to pay (WTP) for the improved services.

1.6.2.   Specific objectives

• To assess the waste generation rate in the study area based on income levels.
• Examine households’ handling of solid waste and their perception and attitude towards solid waste management
• To assess if household are WTP and what amount are they WTP for improve solid waste management.
• To assess the factors affecting WTP for improved waste management services.