Household waste disposal mechanisms in Sri Lanka: Nation-wide survey evidence for their trends and determinants

Abstract This study provides Sri Lanka-wide empirical evidence on trends and determinants of waste disposal mechanisms at household level over the past decade from 2007 to 2016. The study uses the data of 60,820 households from three waves of the Sri Lanka income and expenditure survey and estimates a multinomial logistic regression model. The descriptive statistics show that though Sri Lankan households predominantly burn waste (currently, 44.91 per cent of households), there is an emerging trend of shifting the main mechanism more towards waste collection arrangements. Urban and wealthier households headed by older and more literate individuals are more likely to use municipal waste collection arrangements. Also, older and more literate headship, larger land size, ownership of house, presence of spouse, and being in the richest expenditure quartile significantly increase the likelihood of composting. Burning and dumping waste within premises are preferred by the households representing various socio-economic subgroups except urban households. The results imply expansion of municipal services, implementing province-and sector-specific waste management policies, and promoting methods for safe burning and treating waste before dumping.