Challenges in commercial solid waste management: Generation indicators and willingness to pay for management

Abstract

Problem statement

Regarding the management of municipal solid waste, aspects such as the generation and willingness to pay (WTP) for management of waste from commercial establishments and service providers have been little explored in international literature, despite commerce being usually the second largest solid waste generator in a municipality. These two aspects are fundamental for the development of charging policies, in light of the implementation of the polluter-pays principle and shared responsibility.

Aim

Thus, this study aimed to establish generation indicators for various commercial typologies and also the WTP that these establishments have concerning the management of the waste they generate.

Methods

For this purpose, a case study in Vitória and Aracruz, municipalities in Espírito Santo, Brazil, was conducted, with the application of questionnaires to identify indicators of commercial solid waste generation, as well as the WTP for the management of waste generated by such enterprises using the contingent valuation method. A systematic literature review was also carried out to find related works for comparison with the case study.

Results

As a result, it was possible to identify that the main commercial typologies studied in terms of solid waste generation are educational institutions, food services, markets, commercial condominiums, and accommodation services. However, the indicators obtained have a high deviation around the average. Nevertheless, they can serve as a starting point for calculating the amount of commercial waste generated by an enterprise. As for the WTP, commercial establishments were more willing to pay for waste management in Vitória than in Aracruz, where respondents made several complaints about the charging policy implemented.

Conclusions

This demonstrates that the participation of society in the establishment of public policies and the practice of fair prices for management are essential for greater acceptance by the target public. For further research, it is suggested that a representative econometric model be developed to calculate the WTP in various scenarios.