Quantifying and assessing visual pollution from outdoor advertisement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Visual pollution, a rapidly emerging environmental concern, has a significant negative impact on the psychological well-being of urban dwellers. This study examines the causes and effects of visual pollution that are generated by outdoor advertisements (OA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, and data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 385 respondents, observation, and interviews with industry experts. The key findings revealed that the primary causes of outdoor advertisements related to visual pollution are the weakness and unwillingness of the government to formulate and implement governing policies and regulations. The major visual pollution effects on the community include heightened feelings of distraction and disturbance. Over three-quarters of respondents (75.8%) believe it negatively affects the city's image. Quantitatively, the study determined that the average overall visual pollution in Addis Ababa is 68.91%. Outdoor advertisements contribute 13.02% of this total, making them one of the most significant visual polluting objects (VPO). This research concluded that Addis Ababa is severely impacted by outdoor advertisements-induced visual pollution, necessitating a unified and holistic regulatory approach from all stakeholders.