Influence of socio-economic factors on municipal solid waste generation

Alena Kováčová

Master's thesis

Vliv socio-ekonomických faktorů na produkci komunálního odpadu

Anotácia:

Diplomova prace zkouma vztah mezi socio-demografickymi trendy a produkci komunalniho odpadu. Reaguje na rostouci trend integrace environmentalnich, ekonomickych a socialnich aspektu k urcovani produkce komunalniho odpadu v urcitem case. Nejen hruby domaci produkt, ale take socialni indikatory, velikost domacnosti a vekova struktura maji signifikantni vliv na mnozstvi komunalniho odpadu. Cilem prace je zhodnotit soucasny stav poznani v oblasti socio-demografickeho vyvoje, analyzovat drive publikovane modely tvroby komunalniho odpadu, identifikovat socio-ekonomicke factory dulezite pro urceni mnozstvi produkovaneho komunalniho odpadu na ruznych urovnich v Ceske republice a sledovat siroke spektrum potencialnich vztahu. Pozorovani a vyzkum byly provadeny na dvou urovnich -- regionalni a lokalni uroven. Ze ziskanych modelu obsahujicich ruzne skupiny vysvetlujicich promennych pro regionalni uroven, jeden linearni multiregresni model s vysvetlujici silou 90,20% byl popsan v diplomove praci. Sestava z jedne zavisle promenne -- produkce komunalniho odpadu za domacnost a peti nezavislymi promennymi (cisty penezni prijem, velikost domacnosti, mesicni naklady domacnosti na bydleni, pocet duchodcu v domacnosti a pocet domacnosti s cistymi prijmy pod zivotnim minimem). Na urovni mest, nektere z parametru byly nejdriv zkoumane pouze korelacni analyzou. Nasledne pak nebyly pouzity jako vysvetlujici promenne v regresni analyze, aby bylo dosazeno optimalni slozeni modelu. Ty, ktere byly pouzity v regresni analyze jsou pocet obyvatel a pocet lidi v hlavnich vekovych skupinach. Regresni index R2 naznacuje, ze tento model je schopen vysvetlit 58,78% variability v hodnotach celkoveho odpadu domacnosti produkovaneho ve mestech. Socio-demograficke determinanty environmentalni ochrany jsou obvykle mene relevantni pro vysvetlovani fluktuace a vztahu mezi produkci odpadu a socio-demografickymi faktory nez psychologicke promene (postoje, hodnoty, vira) a politicke faktory. V kazdem pripade, prehled literatury naznacuje, ze zkoumani a odhadovani budoucich toku komunalniho odpadu by mel pokryvat nejen obecne pouzivane ekonomicke parametry, ale take socio-demograficke faktory (Bach, 2003; Beigl, 2004; Řeháková, 2001).

Abstract:

Diploma thesis examines the relationship between socio-demographic trends and municipal solid waste generation. It follows an increasing trend towards the integration of environmental, economic and social aspects to indicate the municipal solid waste generation at the present time. Not only gross domestic product, but also social indicators, household size and age structure have a significant impact on the amount of municipal solid waste. The topical aim of the thesis is to review the state of present knowledge regarding socio-demographic changes, analyse previously published models of municipal waste generation, identify socio-economic factors important for describing the amount of municipal waste at various levels in Czech Republic and observe broad scale of potential relationships. The observations and survey were made on two levels -- regional and city level. From the models obtained by working with various set of explanatory variables at regional level, one linear multivariate regression model with explanatorz power 90,20% was described in diploma thesis. It consists of one dependent variable -- municipal waste generation per household and five independent variables (net money income, household size, living costs per household per month, number of retired pensioners in household and households with net income below minimum subsistence). At city level, some parameters were just proved by correlation analysis, but they were not used as explanatory variables in regression analysis in order to obtain optimal model. Those used in regression analysis are number of inhabitants and number of people in main age groups. Regression index R2 indicates that this model explains 58,78% of the variability in total household waste generated in cities. To conclude, socio-demographic determinants of environmental protection are usually less relevant for explanation of fluctuations within waste management chain than psychological variables (attitudes, values, beliefs) and political factors. Anyway, literature review indicates that the investigations and assessment of future municipal waste streams should cover not only commonly used economic parameters, but also socio-demographic factors (Bach, 2003; Beigl, 2004; Řeháková, 2001).

Kľúčové slová

odpadové hospodářství, modelování, environmentální ekonomie, demografický vývoj

Keywords

modelling, municipal solid waste, environmental economics, demografphic development

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 1. 2. 2010

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 1. 6. 2010
• Vedúci: Jan Slavík
• Oponent: Pavel Drahovzal

Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze

Master programme / odbor:
Hospodářská politika a správa / Ekonomika a správa životního prostředí