Households' willingness to pay for a local recycling program: a case study from Lebanon

Heavy reliance on unsanitary landfiling practices and a lack of a comprehensive solid waste management strategy in Lebanon have resulted in a trash crisis that erupted in July 2015. Introducing a solid waste recycling program will reduce the reliance on landfills and serve as a sustainable solution for the trash crisis. Our study aimed to assess the public's willingness to participate in and pay for a local solid waste management program. that includes a recycling service in Jdeidet Ghazir village in Mount-Lebanon. A crosssectional survey was administered to 228 local residents. Results showed that most of respondents (n=181, 79.39%) were willing to participate in and pay for the local solid waste recycling program. Willingness to pay was positively associated with their nationality (being Lebanese) and the perceived responsibilty to be involved in solid waste management as active citizens.