Household demand for improved solid waste management: A case study of Gujranwala, Pakistan

Solid waste management in most cities of the developing world is unsatisfactory despite consuming a relatively high proportion of municipal budgets. Most attempts at improving performance have focused on supply-side issues such as collection and disposal capacity but have not yielded significant results. This paper suggests a different approach based on integrating demand-side information into the planning process. The analysis calls into question conventional presumptions that households accord low priority to solid waste management compared to other urban services and are unwilling to pay for it. It also indicates that simple and inexpensive household surveys can provide valuable inputs into the planning process. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd