Households’ willingness to pay for waste management improvement in Gombe municipality of Kinshasa, DRC

Abstract

The setting of the willingness to pay for the reservation and protection of the environment is one of the answers that economics science is giving to the environmental problems that society is increasingly confronted with. This study uses the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) in the municipality of Gombe for the improvement of household waste management. A survey based on 300 households showed that the income, the type of housing, the participation in a collection unit and knowledge of the impact of household waste on the environment positively affect the willingness to pay (WTP); while age, marital status and education negatively affect the willingness to pay (WTP). 71.4% of households agree to share the cost with the city to set up a program to improve waste management. The average WTP is CDF 1500 or $ 0.75.