A AVALIAÇÃO CONTINGENTE E A DEMANDA POR SERVIÇO PÚBLICO DE COLETA E DISPOSIÇÃO DE LIXO: UMA ANÁLISE A PARTIR DA REGIÃO DO ALTO SUBAÉ - BAHIA

Abstract

This paper examines the determinants of willingness to pay for public garbage service and estimates its demand, through an application of the contingent valuation method. The hypothetical model of contingent valuation was compared with the usual model of users choices for garbage service, trying to estimate the probability of these consumers to accept such service at a given price structure. Despite of existing a large lag between the optimal level of this public service and the level compatible with cost recovering of its own garbage system, this paper suggests that the price to be charged for garbage service should ensure a revenue flow necessary to guarantee not only the continuity but also an improvement of this public service to all users. Observing that users willingness to pay for garbage service is lower than the price level to get public service broader and of better quality, this paper concludes that a larger participation of public investments is unavoidble to improve and expand public garbage systems.