Evaluating the economic sustainability of sanitation logistics in Senegal

Purpose – This research was performed with the aim of determining if the emptying of latrines in a flood‐prone urban slum area would be a sustainable and profitable business for private‐sector service providers.Design/methodology/approach – Monte‐Carlo analysis was used to evaluate the economic sustainability of a proposed public‐private waste transportation service. A GIS‐assisted route analysis was also performed, with participation by private and public sector stakeholders.Findings – The analysis also showed that if a low‐cost subscription service is implemented in the area, the commercial service providers will operate at a loss in all cases, unless changes are made in the truck fuel efficiency, the operating hours of discharge sites, and the transportation network.Research limitations/implications – The research was based on service provider operations costs extrapolated from previous studies and updated through informal interviews. A thorough and transparent review of cost accounting procedures is n...