Household preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for freshwater quality improvement in Pakistan’s Swat River Valley

This two-part study investigates household preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for water quality improvement of the Swat River in Pakistan. First, a four-point Likert scale was used to rank preferences for water quality benefits without using any financial metric. Results show that households have comparatively strong preferences for non-use benefits. Second, a contingent valuation question was designed to determine WTP for adopting a management plan developed exclusively for water quality improvement in the Swat River. The estimated annual mean WTP per household for water quality improvement is $2.40 when donating to an NGO. Generalizing this value to households living in Swat Valley would generate up to $544,000 per year. The present value aggregate benefit for 15 years would be sufficient to cover the present value of aggregate costs to adopt the management plan. A mandatory program that would require paying for the management plan generates half the WTP compared to the voluntary plan, but is still sufficient to cover costs and may be more feasible than a voluntary program because payment is assured.     

CVM研究中支付意愿问卷“内容依赖性”的实证研究——以上海城市内河生态恢复CVM评估为例

为检验意愿价值评估法(Contingent Valuation Method,CVM)中争论的焦点问题——支付意愿的问卷"内容依赖性",本文以上海城市内河生态修复为评估对象,构建CVM的假想市场,设计评估顺序、评估对象尺度、嵌套物品等四重方案,通过720份问卷平行调查对同一评估对象在不同问卷中获得的支付意愿,并进行估计值比较和t检验。研究结果显示:支付意愿的数值随评估尺度的增加并不显著增加;单独评估比作为嵌套物品评估具有更高的支付意愿值;在问卷中先被评估的物品居民给出的支付意愿较高;整体物品的支付意愿小于各部分的加总。研究结果验证了国外实证研究文献报道的"范围不敏感"、"嵌入效应"、"顺序效应"、"部分—整体效应"等现象的存在。对此现象的解释主要是收入效应和替代效应。因此,在将CVM研究结果应用于公共政策中应充分考虑上述因素引起的偏差。     

Analysis of cost–benefit in life-cycle of plastic solid waste: combining waste flow analysis and life cycle cost as a decision support tool to the selection of optimum scenario

Millions of tons of plastic are consumed annually in the world due to its significant characteristics such as durability, flexibility, and low weight. High consumption has made plastic one of the most important municipal solid waste compounds, the quantity of which has increased in recent decades. Plastic solid wastes are known as a threat to the environment, and its efficient management in various aspects such as cost–benefit requires decision-making tools. This study was assessing the cost–benefit of plastic solid waste management by development of an economic model, and definition of different scenarios to change plastic solid waste management status. The results showed that 8971 tons of plastic solid waste were generated annually in the studied city. The plastic solid wastes were finally transferred to either recycling or landfilling site through 5 identified routes. 83 percent of the total recycled plastic solid waste was due to post-separation routes, and only 7.7 percent of the total plastic solid waste was recycled from the source separation route. The economic comparison of scenarios showed that with the aggregation of post-separation routes, the net revenue of plastic solid waste management increases by 334,000 euro per year while increasing the public participation and the ratio of source separation route raises net revenue by 875,000 euro per year, which was the best economic condition among the scenarios. Using life cycle cost method and it’s respected developed economic model truly satisfied the conditions of both, the current plastic solid waste management and the alternative scenarios, and hence can be adopted as a tool for decision-making.

     

云南森林生态功能区农户生态补偿支付意愿(WTP)影响因素及差异性分析

生态补偿是协调经济与资源环境和谐发展,化解生态环境与经济增长矛盾的有效手段,对推进生态文明建设意义深远。基于云南省5个州市农户调查数据,运用二元Probit模型,分析了云南森林生态功能区农户生态补偿支付意愿的关键影响因素及其差异性。研究表明:大部分农户愿意为生态补偿付费,影响其支付意愿的主要因素是性别、年龄、是否兼业、家庭人口数、非农收入比重、生态补偿重要性认知、森林经济效益是否比生态效益重要、生态环境满意度、政府是否对生态环境保护宣传、政策执行信任度以及信息获取难易程度;其中年龄、家庭农业劳动力人数和信息获取难易程度对专业户支付意愿有重要影响,而家庭人口数、非农收入比重以及获得政府补偿的情况对兼业户支付意愿有重要影响;是否兼业、非农收入比重、对生态补偿了解程度以及信息获取难易程度对传统散户支付意愿影响较大;对政策执行的信任程度和产业发展程度对种植大户支付意愿有重要影响。基于此,提出了完善政府农村就业服务职能,鼓励农户非农就业、创业;完善生态功能区环境教育体系和宣传制度建设,强化农户环保意识;强化政府职责及其政策推广、执行力度,构建综合、完善的生态补偿宣传媒介;制定并实施差异化的生态补偿措施等具体对策建议。     

Municipal solid waste management, source-separated waste and stakeholder’s attitude: a Contingent Valuation Study

Recognition of the social costs associated with traditional practices of urban waste management in India led to the formulation of Municipal Waste Management and Handling rules (2000). However, compliance with the proposed collection and disposal involves higher commitment in terms of both time and money on the part of the residents, local bodies as well as the state and central government. In this context, information about the value of the environmental improvements conferred upon the city dwellers would be important from the planner’s perspective. Given the non-market characteristic of waste disposal services, we infer about beneficiaries’ perceived demand for the proposed service by means of Double-Bounded Dichotomous Choice Contingent Valuation Survey conducted in the Bally Municipality in the district of Howrah, West Bengal. We estimate the average WTP by controlling for anchoring bias and use the annualized value of cost to examine the feasibility of the proposed system.     

Hazardous waste, impact on health and environment for development of better waste management strategies in future in India

Industry has become an essential part of modern society, and waste production is an inevitable outcome of the developmental activities. A material becomes waste when it is discarded without expecting to be compensated for its inherent value. These wastes may pose a potential hazard to the human health or the environment (soil, air, water) when improperly treated, stored, transported or disposed off or managed. Currently in India even though hazardous wastes, emanations and effluents are regulated, solid wastes often are disposed off indiscriminately posing health and environmental risk. In view of this, management of hazardous wastes including their disposal in environment friendly and economically viable way is very important and therefore suggestions are made for developing better strategies. Out of the various categories of the wastes, solid waste contributes a major share towards environmental degradation. The present paper outlines the nature of the wastes, waste generating industries, waste characterization, health and environmental implications of wastes management practices, steps towards planning, design and development of models for effective hazardous waste management, treatment, approaches and regulations for disposal of hazardous waste. Appraisal of the whole situation with reference to Indian scenario is attempted so that a better cost-effective strategies for waste management be evolved in future.     

Modelling treated waste disposal in Port Phillip Bay and Bass Strait biogeochemical and physical removal.

Large cities, such as Melbourne, generate substantial quantities of sewage, which, after treatment, must be disposed. Melbourne's sewage is disposed via two routes, that treated at the Western Treatment Plant (WTP) is discharged in enclosed Port Phillip Bay, while the Boags Rock outfall empties into the exposed Bass Strait. In Port Phillip Bay biogeochemical processes control the fate of waste, while in the Bass Strait physical mixing rapidly disperses the waste. These different processes require very different ecosystem models. Port Phillip Bay requires detailed modelling of water-column and in-sediment processes, in particular detailed models of recycling processes, and also modelling of benthos-water-column interactions. Interaction of these components gives the model a nonlinear response to change in load. The Bass Strait ecosystem model is simple with no modelling of the sediment and limited modelling of water-column recycling. This model's behaviour is largely controlled by the physical environment.     

Farmers' Willingness-to-Pay for Environment and Human Health and Adoption of IPM

Abstract

Although chemical control of pests increases crop production, it brings a lot of damage to environment and human health. There exist a number of alternative methods that are not so harmful to environment and human health. However, whether and how much in extent these technologies adopted are plausible depends on the comparison of benefit- cost between chemical control and the alternative control methods (such as Integrated Pest Management, IPM) and farmers' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for environment and human health. Using contingent valuation method (CVM), the author investigates farmers' WTP for environment and human health, recognizes the factors influencing WTP, and accordingly points out the importance of pest control technology extension and government regulation of pesticides.     

核电与核废物管理

核能是一种能量密度大、稳定性好、燃料运输量小、综合经济效益好的能源。世界各国核电在总发电量中的比例逐年上升,1992年达17％,而我国仅占0.1％。在目前我国电力短缺的条件下,发展核电、提高核电在总电量中的比例,不失为我国发展能源工业的一个战略目标。在发展核电过程中,要重视核废物的处理和处置,以保证人类健康和环境免遭放射性的污染。     

Comparing environmental product footprint for electronic and electric equipment: a multi-criteria approach

Electronic and electric devices are now applied in most human activities: their diffusion is increasing worldwide; furthermore, most of them are characterized by a high replacement rate due to technological obsolescence. Consequently, environmental problems due to their diffusion are increasing; several aspects are involved from the energy consumption derived from their manufacturing processes and their use phases to their end-of-life (EOL) management. Such legislative (e.g. the European Energy Efficiency directive for household appliances) or voluntary interventions (e.g. based on the ISO standards) have been introduced for such devices: the aim is to incorporate environmental considerations in product design and manufacturing in order to benefit the environment. Some attempts are focusing on defining standardized models for the overall lifecycle including waste management. The aim of this paper is to introduce a reference model for comparing environmental product footprint of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). All life cycles of EEE will be evaluated: a specific focus is on the EOL management process as their waste management represents a complex problem for developed and developing countries. A multi-criteria decision-making model will be developed based on the well-known analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method: differently from traditional AHP applications, an absolute model has been proposed in order to compare EEE effectively from an environmental point of view. A case study validation regarding large household appliances is proposed.     

Farmers'''' Willingness-to-Pay for Environment and Human Health and Adoption of IPM

Although chemical control of pests increases crop production, it brings a lot of damage to environment and human health. There exist a number of alternative methods that are not so harmful to environment and human health. However, whether and how much in extent these technologies adopted are plausible depends on the comparison of benefit-cost between chemical control and the alternative control methods (such as Integrated Pest Management, IPM) and farmers' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for envirorment and human health. Using contingent valuation method (CVM), the author investigates farmers' WTP for environment and human health, recognizes the factors influencing WTP, and accordingly points out the importance of pest control technology extension and government regulation of pesticides.     

水源地生态补偿标准估算——以贵阳鱼洞峡水库为例

鱼洞河是乌江水系的一个小支流,为下游贵阳市提供饮用水水源。在鱼洞河上下游之间建立生态补偿机制,理论上需要知道上游治理污染和维护生态环境的费用,以及下游对上游提供的生态环境服务的支付意愿。只有下游的支付意愿大于上游的费用,上下游之间的生态补偿机制才有理论可能性。在对上游龙里县汇水区进行实地调研后,重点评估了当地安装沼气系统、坡耕地(≥25°)退耕还林、其他地区的土壤侵蚀防治以及点源污染治理费用,得出上游治理投资费用为199万元,年度费用每年89.2万元-168万元。采用意愿调查法(CVM)对贵阳市自来水用户对上游环境服务的支付意愿进行了评估。采用简单随机抽样方法在贵阳3个区内选取了900户作为样本,结果表明,有62.7%的人愿意为生态补偿付费。采用PROBIT模型,可以计算出为避免鱼洞河水质恶化的支付意愿均值为0.37元/m3,贵阳市自来水用户总的支付意愿每年达847万元。结果表明在鱼洞河水源地进行上下游生态补偿理论上是可能的,补偿标准介于上游费用与下游支付意愿之间。     

基于CVM的武进港水环境综合整治工程环境价值支付/受偿意愿评估

引入了目前环境价值评估领域运用广泛的条件价值评估法(CVM)对武进港小流域水环境治理工程居民的支付/受偿意愿（WTP/WAP）进行调查研究。305份有效调查问卷的结果表明：（1）64%的受访者有支付意愿，用中位值法和平均支付意愿法计算得出武进区居民的支付意愿为40~555元/年，武进区2010年人口为1003万余人，居民的总支付意愿范围是4 012~5 56665万元/年，支付意愿与受教育水平呈显著正相关，与其他各变量在5%的显著性水平下均无相关关系；（2）62%的受访者有受偿意愿，平均受偿意愿为3462元/年，约为支付意愿的63倍，受偿意愿与受教育水平呈显著正相关，与年龄呈显著负相关，与职业存在负的弱相关性。对造成WTP与WTA巨大差异的原因进行了探讨，并综合考虑评估结果，对武进港流域的水环境改善提出建议，促进决策者更好的平衡当地的经济发展和水环境保护     

Factors affecting incentive dependency of residents to participate in e-waste recycling: a case study on adoption of e-waste reverse supply chain in Iran

Modern societies face a dilemma called electronic waste (e-waste). This waste, which may contaminate the soil or cause unwanted impacts on human health when treated improperly, is one of the fastest growing waste streams in developed as well as developing countries and has brought great environmental impacts. Developing countries like Iran also face this modern waste management challenge. In order for more appropriate disposal or, if possible, recycling of this waste, more attention has been paid to reverse logistics as the most appropriate way to manage them. The first and most important action to address e-waste and implementation of reverse logistics is to persuade residents to bring back their obsolete electronic products. This paper attempts to understand significant factors affecting residents’ incentive dependency to participate in e-waste recycling program. Socioeconomic and demographic information of different residents is discussed by means of logistic regression for the first time in Iran. The results show that about 58.7 % of residents will participate even if no incentive is given. Household income, household size, education, e-waste concern level, and marital status are the significant factors affecting the incentive dependency of respondents.     

Residents' Willingness to Pay for Improving Air Quality in Jinan,China

Abstract

Along with the progress of urbanization and environmental deterioration, residents' desire for improved air quality is increasing. In order to quantify an individual's willingness-to-pay (WTP) for improved air quality in Jinan of eastern China, a contingent valuation method (CVM) was employed. A sample of 1,500 residents was chosen on the basis of multistage sampling methods with face-to-face interviews by using a series of hypothetical, open-ended scenario questions which were designed to elicit the respondents' WTP. Results showed that 59.7% of respondents were able to express their WTP and the mean WTP is 100 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per person per year. A probit model on the probability of a positive WTP and a regression model were developed to find the relationship between endogenous variables and WTP. Most parameters in the econometric analysis had the expected sign. Annual household income and expenditure on treating respiratory diseases significantly influence WTP. The rates of positive WTP and the monetary amount are larger for men than for women. Results also showed that people who lived in more polluted areas were willing to pay more for clean air. Unlike developed countries, clean air may only be considered as a public good in China in that more than 40% of respondents had no incentive to bear the costs of attempting to achieve better air quality, which indicates the relatively low environmental consciousness.     

基于随机效用理论的赣江流域生态补偿支付意愿研究

研究生态补偿的支付意愿及影响因素可为建立和实施流域生态补偿机制提供决策依据。在随机效用理论框架下采用条件价值评估法和有序Logistic模型分析了赣江流域居民的生态补偿支付意愿及其影响因素,并着重研究了心理距离、心理所有权对支付意愿的影响,引入区位和类别虚拟变量对比分析了异质性支付意愿产生的原因。通过对赣江流域593份样本数据的分析发现,居民感觉河流离自己越远,则其支付河流生态服务价值的意愿越低;居民对河流的心理所有权越强烈,则其支付河流生态服务价值的意愿越高;对水质满意度较低、对环保部门的信任度较高是下游居民支付意愿偏高的主要原因;与赣江的心理距离较远,对环保部门的信任度较低是抗议性响应群体支付意愿偏低的主要原因。研究得到的政策启示在于政策制定者在设计生态补偿制度时应该重视居民支付决策的心理机制,因人因地选择不同的政策工具。从心理上缩短人与河流的距离,提升居民对河流的占有感,都有助于提高赣江流域居民的生态补偿支付意愿。     

Environmental aspects and health risks of leather tanning industry: a study in the Hazaribag area

The tannery industry in Hazaribag, which is one of the most polluted areas in Dhaka City, produces a huge quantity of wastes every day. Without treatment, these are discharged into the Buriganga River and pollute the surrounding environment. This article examines the impacts of tannery wastes on workers’ health and the environment in that particular area. As part of the methodology, a semi-structured interview was conducted in order to obtain quantitative data and 112 respondents were interviewed using purposive sampling. The findings of the study indicate that tannery wastes affect the environment severely, causing ecological imbalance and the spreading of different kinds of fatal and contagious disease among the tannery workers and other individuals. Moreover, the current waste management system of the Hazaribag tannery industries is very suspect due to outdated technology, defective drainage systems, lack of financial input, and the exploitative attitude of their owners. The findings also indicate that tannery workers are unaware of the effects of tannery waste as they choose not to wear personal protective equipment in the workplace. This empirical study helps policy makers implement appropriate measures to raise awareness, among both owners and workers, that can influence changes in the public’s attitude and reduce environmental pollution to a great extent. Although considerable research has been undertaken focusing on tannery waste impact assessment, less attention has been paid to the issue of workers’ health. Therefore, both governments and policy makers can benefit from the findings of this study.     

Solid waste management in Bogotá: the role of recycling associations as investigated through SWOT analysis

In emerging economies, recycling provides an opportunity for cities to increase the lifespan of sanitary landfills, to reduce the costs of solid waste management, to decrease environmental problems from waste treatment by reincorporating waste into the productive cycle and to protect and develop the livelihoods of citizens who work as informal waste pickers. However, few studies have analysed the possibilities of and strategies for integrating the formal and informal sectors in solid waste management for the benefit of both. This integration is the key, especially in developing countries, to understanding how the recycling population can develop a business despite their social and economic limitations. The aim of this study was to perform a strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis of three recycling associations in Bogotá with the aim of examining and understanding the recycling situation from the perspective of members of the informal sector in their transition to becoming authorised waste providers. This issue has rarely been studied in the context of developing countries. The data used in the analysis are derived from multiple sources, including a literature review, Bogota’s recycling database, focus group meetings, governmental reports, national laws and regulations and interviews with key stakeholders. The results of this study show that as the primary stakeholders, the formal and informal waste management sectors can identify the internal and external conditions of recycling in Bogotá. Several strategies were designed based on the SWOT analysis. The participation of recycling associations is important in the design and application of waste policy, the consolidation of recycling through an effective business model, promotional programmes for social inclusion and the development of new transformation processes and technologies to valorise recycling materials. In conclusion, recycling associations can become authorised waste providers through a profitable business that increases recycling rates to create a productive process from waste during the generation of new materials and to decrease environmental problems while improving the welfare and living conditions of recyclers. These findings are important for Bogotá to advance and promote recycling as a key strategy for integrated sustainable waste management in the city.     

千岛湖配水工程的环境成本估算——基于调水区支付意愿调查

由于水资源分布不均、水污染日趋严重,调水工程已不仅用以解决城市资源型缺水,也成为一些地区缓解水质型缺水问题的途径,但是这些耗资巨大的调水工程往往对周围自然生态环境可能产生巨大影响,可能带来的环境成本不容忽视。以千岛湖配水工程为例,通过在调水地进行实地调研和问卷调查,运用Tobit模型分析影响居民支付意愿的因素,基于意愿调查法(CVM)分析了建德市人民对千岛湖配水工程的生态环境影响的支付意愿,并以此估算该工程的环境成本。结果表明,调水地居民对恢复和改善可能破坏的生态环境的平均支付意愿约为每人每年377.6～542.1元,按照年配水量9.78亿 m³可以计算每吨水的环境成本约为0.15～0.21元。由此估算,工程期内千岛湖配水工程可能造成的环境成本总计约为5.80～8.28亿元,高于2014年公布的《杭州市第二水源千岛湖配水工程环境影响报告书》(下文简称《报告书》)中对该工程的环境经济影响评价3.70亿元。千岛湖配水工程的环境成本不容忽视,必须建立科学的生态补偿机制,加强监管;同时受水地也应积极加强污染治理和节约用水,共同解决城市水质型缺水问题。     

Residents'''' Willingness to Pay for Improving Air Quality in Jinan, China

Along with the progress of urbanization and environmental deterioration, residents' desire for improved air quality is increasing. In order to quantify an individual's willingness-to-pay (WTP) for improved air quality in Jinan of eastern China, a contingent valuation method (CVM) was employed. A sample of 1,500 residents was chosen on the basis of multistage sampling methods with face-to-face interviews by using a series of hypothetical, open-ended scenario questions which were designed to elicit the respondents' WTP. Results showed that 59.7% of respondents were able to express their WTP and the mean WTP is 100 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per person per year. A probit model on the probability of a positive WTP and a regression model were developed to find the relationship between endogenous variables and WTP. Most parameters in the econometric analysis had the expected sign. Annual household income and expenditure on treating respiratory diseases significantly influence WTP. The rates of positive WTP and the monetary amount are larger for men than for women. Results also showed that people who lived in more polluted areas were willing to pay more for clean air. Unlike developed countries, clean air may only be considered as a public good in China in that more than 40% of respondents had no incentive to bear the costs of attempting to achieve better air quality, which indicates the relatively low environmental consciousness.