Willingness to Pay for Solid Waste Management Services and Associated Factors in Mbarara District, Southwestern Uganda

BackgroundSolid waste management is a major environmental and public health challenge in Mbarara District, especially with rapid urbanization and limited public funding. Willingness to pay (WTP) for solid waste management services is essential for sustainability, yet it remains unassessed in the area. This study assessed the prevalence of WTP for solid waste management services and the associated factors among households in Mbarara District, Southwestern Uganda. MethodsA cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 250 randomly selected individuals in households of Bwizibwera-Rutooma and Rubindi-Ruhumba town councils, Mbarara district. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires, entered in Microsoft Excel and transferred to STATA version 17.0 for cleaning and analysis. Continuous variables were summarized using means and standard deviations, while categorical variables were presented as frequencies and proportions. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis at a 95% level of confidence was done to identify factors associated with WTP for solid waste management services. ResultsOverall, 62% (156/250; 95% C.I.: 56.2%-68.2%) of the participants were willing to pay for solid waste management services. The majority, 64.1% (100/156) were willing to pay one thousand Uganda shillings or more for SWM. Factors associated with WTP for solid waste management services were; being male (aOR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.2-4.6; p-value = 0.011), having a monthly income>100,000 Uganda Shillings (UGX) (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.7-4.1; p-value = 0.015), disposing wastes using town council services (aOR = 7.75, 95% CI: 1.35-44.47; p-value = 0.022) and receiving weekly waste collection services (aOR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.06-6.50; p=0.038). ConclusionThe willingness to pay for solid waste management services was relatively high and was positively associated with being male, monthly income>100,000 UGX, reliance on town council waste collection services and Weekly collection of the solid wastes. Solid waste management programs should ensure regular, affordable services through town councils and promote inclusive strategies that consider income and gender to enhance willingness to pay.