Title: An economic analysis of a public-private-community partnership: the case of Solid Waste Management in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Authors: Khorshed Alam

Addresses: Faculty of Business and Law, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia

Abstract: This paper assesses the economic efficiency of a public-private community partnership in urban Solid Waste Management (SWM) in Dhaka City. This paper, based on a successful pilot program at the micro level in a Dhaka City suburb, builds a macro model for the city and provides an economic analysis of its social desirability. This research examines the highly contentious question of whether a partnership approach is desirable from the resource allocation point of view to resolve SWM crises in low-income cities like Dhaka. The analysis reveals conditions under which the economic benefits of the partnership model exceed its costs.

Keywords: CBA; cost-benefit analysis; Bangladesh; sustainability; urban solid waste; waste management; sustainable development; community partnerships; public-private partnerships; economic efficiency; social desirability; resource allocation; low-income cities; municipal solid waste.

DOI: 10.1504/WRSTSD.2011.044214

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 2011 Vol.8 No.2/3/4, pp.166 - 181

Published online: 13 Dec 2011 *

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