Identifying the Impact of Solid Waste on Health and Property Value

Abstract

Improper municipal waste management has become a growing concern globally due to its impact on cities' environment, health, and overall living conditions. The issue of household waste is a strike at the heart of urban amenities and has gradually leaped onto the political agenda in developing countries like Pakistan. The solid waste management situation in Pakistan is a grave concern as more than 5 million people die each year due to waste-related diseases. Disposal of municipal waste that predominantly comprises household and commercial refuse has become a daunting task for local governments and municipalities of Pakistan. Issues related to both inadequacies of service delivery and inappropriate disposal signify that waste management should be high on the local environmental policy agenda. Pakistan generates around 20 million tonnes of solid garbage each year, with a 2.4% annual increase rate. The social and consumption behavior of households is an imperative factor contributing to waste generation and significantly affecting the environment. Therefore, health and the environment are inseparable elements of development that cannot be sustained independently. Household waste management behavior is affected by environmental awareness, time, money, and these factors serve as a barrier to pro-environmental behavior. In particular, the external cost of waste management is high, and cost recovery of refuse collection may cause the exclusion of many households and additional costs on the households that avail themselves of the service. Therefore, this dissertation investigates the externality effect of improper waste disposal on health and house rental values in Pakistan's twin cities (Islamabad-Rawalpindi). The thesis is organized in chapters, and the results are contained in five chapters. Chapter 1 consists of a thesis introduction. Chapter 2 explored the externality impacts of solid waste on heterogeneous households on spatial grounds focusing on the health of households living near waste dumpsites. In this chapter structural equation modeling approach is used to investigate the environmental and behavioral factors that influence household health. xi A multistage sampling technique was used to obtain data from 849 houses in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The findings revealed that a household's waste disposal attitude and environmental quality have a considerable negative impact on their health in twin cities. The results confirmed a relationship between living close to dumpsite and damage to the respiratory system. Chapter 3 analyzed the varying effects of urban disamenities based on various factors that influence house rent, including irregular waste dumping, distance from dumpsites, open sewer, odor from sewerage, and structural and neighborhood characteristics. The effect of distance from dumpsites on rental value is estimated using five distance rings. The findings revealed that irregular waste disposal sites in neighborhoods negatively impact sustainable house rental values compared with the rental values of houses located far away. Rents became higher as the distance from the dumpsites increased. In chapter 4, I study factors influencing the environmental behavior of households, and the lack of a suitable environmental socio-psychological model limits the application of environmental behavior of households in municipal waste management. This research built a theoretical model by adding institutional and situational attributes into the theory of planned behavior. Based on survey data, this chapter revealed that constructs of the theory of planned behavior have a significant impact on households' waste segregation intentions. Findings extend the theory of planned behavior by exposing the diverse implications of social persuasion in incentive-based settings. Results revealed that environmental knowledge, environmental concern, and government policy directly influence households' waste segregation intentions. Government policy instruments also indirectly influenced residents' waste sorting intention through attitudes and perceived behavioral control. Therefore, insights into the motivations of household waste segregation drivers may assist in knowing how to achieve the required behavior in establishing the most efficient and effective initiatives at the household level. This xii research helps understand residents' waste segregation intention. It is valuable for encouraging residents to sort waste in their daily lives by emphasizing that the environment is a shared resource that everyone must care for. This research signals the state's responsibility to provide better health for its residents by ensuring necessary amenities, particularly essential ones like clean and safe water availability and removal of disposal sites within residential areas. The important implication for the household's involvement in the waste segregation program requires more knowledge which is again necessary for assisting the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and RWMC officials (who are directly involved with households in implementing any policy at the field level). Likewise, to carry out effective awareness campaigns, NGOs must emphasize the consequences of open dumping and the improvement of household knowledge of waste segregation protocols. Social media, training campaigns, and brochures can also play essential roles in this regard. Finally, chapter 5 consists of the thesis conclusion.