Title

Gauging the material magnitude, public perception, and governance of roadside litter in a rural Mexican municipio

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Human Ecology

Abstract

Roadside litter is an ever-present human-environmental issue in Mexico, yet material estimates do not exist for rural places. This study estimates roadside litter, by abundance, weight, and class, and examines public perceptions of litter in the rural municipio of Coxcatlán, Puebla, Mexico. During fieldwork, ten study sites were selected, cleaned, and sampled periodically to estimate the generation rate of garbage. A household survey was conducted using participatory risk mapping in 433 households across the study area to gauge concern over litter. Litter and dumping are substantial concerns for households while generation rates along Coxcatlán’s roadsides are lower than most estimates for U.S. roadsides, highlighting the importance of perception of an environmental issue amid its empiricallyderived reality. Results are contextualized within the broader framework of current and potential governance and management in the study area.

First Page

479

Last Page

481

DOI

10.1007/s10745-016-9842-9

Publication Date

8-1-2016

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