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Cost savings of contracting out refuse collection

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Author Info

  • Elbert Dijkgraaf

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Raymond Gradus

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam & Min. of Social Affairs)

Abstract

The article discusses the possible cost savings of contracting out refuse collection in the Netherlands. According to foreign econometric studies, contracting out refuse collection leads to cost savings of approximately 20%. Our findings indicate that similar cost savings apply to the Netherlands. However, different production technologies apply to internal or external refuse collection. The Chow test, which examines whether the estimated coefficients on the explanatory variables are the same, reveals that different cost functions have to be estimated for the sub-samples. We show that the postulated cost savings can even be larger, when taking account of effects of different production technologies. Though significant cost savings exist on contracting out waste collection, households will not experience these cost savings on a one to one basis. Private refuse collection firms must pay VAT while public firms are exempted. At present the Dutch fiscal system hinders a more pronounced role for private refuse collection firms.

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File URL: http://128.118.178.162/eps/pe/papers/0409/0409002.pdf
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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by EconWPA in its series Public Economics with number 0409002.

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Length: 19 pages
Date of creation: 01 Sep 2004
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwppe:0409002

Note: Type of Document - pdf; pages: 19
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Web page: http://128.118.178.162

Related research

Keywords: Refuse collection; cost estimation; Chow stability test; pooling; VAT;

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References

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  1. Domberger, Simon & Jensen, Paul, 1997. "Contracting Out by the Public Sector: Theory, Evidence, Prospects," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 13(4), pages 67-78, Winter.
  2. Eoin Reeves & Michael Barrow, 2000. "The Impact of Contracting Out on the Costs of Refuse Collection Services - The Case of Ireland," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 31(2), pages 129-150.
  3. Schmidt, Peter & Sickles, Robin, 1977. "Some Further Evidence on the Use of the Chow Test under Heteroskedasticity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 45(5), pages 1293-98, July.
  4. Fisher, Franklin M, 1970. "Tests of Equality Between Sets of Coefficients in Two Linear Regressions: An Expository Note," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 38(2), pages 361-66, March.
  5. Stefan Szymanski, 1996. "The impact of compulsory competitive tendering on refuse collection services," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1-19, August.
  6. Ohlsson, H., 1998. "Ownership and Production Costs Choosing Between Public Production and Contracting Out," Papers 1998-6, Uppsala - Working Paper Series.
  7. John Cubbin & Simon Domberger & Shirley Meadowcroft, 1987. "Competitive tendering and refuse collection: identifying the sources of efficiency gains," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 8(3), pages 49-58, August.
  8. Domberger, S & Meadowcroft, S & Thompson, D, 1988. "Competition and efficiency in refuse collection : a reply," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 9(1), pages 86-90, February.
  9. Toyoda, Toshihisa, 1974. "Use of the Chow Test under Heteroscedasticity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 42(3), pages 601-08, May.
  10. Thursby, Jerry G., 1992. "A comparison of several exact and approximate tests for structural shift under heteroscedasticity," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1-3), pages 363-386.
  11. Cheng-Chung Lai, 1994. "Market Structure and Inter-industry Profit Differences in Taiwan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 33(2), pages 147-163.
  12. Nikos Apergis & John Papanastasiou & Kostas Velentzas, 1997. "The credibility of policy announcements: Greek evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 29(6), pages 699-705.
  13. Domberger, S & Meadowcroft, S & Thompson, D J, 1986. "Competitive tendering and efficiency: the case of refuse collection," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 7(4), pages 69-87, November.
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Citations

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Cited by:
  1. Elinder, Mikael & Jordahl, Henrik, 2011. "Political Preferences and Public Sector Outsourcing," Working Paper Series 877, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
  2. Paul H. Jensen & Robin E. Stonecash, 2004. "The Efficiency of Public Sector Outsourcing Contracts: A Literature Review," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2004n29, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
  3. Germa Bel & Anton Costas, 2006. "Do Public Sector Reforms Get Rusty? Local Privatization in Spain," Journal of Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 1-24.
  4. Pierre-Pascal Gendron, 2005. "Value-Added Tax Treatment of Public Sector Bodies and Non-Profit Organizations: A Developing Country Perspective," International Tax Program Papers 0514, International Tax Program, Institute for International Business, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
  5. Andersson, Fredrik & Jordahl, Henrik, 2011. "Outsourcing Public Services: Ownership, Competition, Quality and Contracting," Working Papers 2011:20, Lund University, Department of Economics.
  6. Germà Bel & Xavier Fageda & Melania Mur, 2011. "Privatization, cooperation and costs of solid waste services in small towns," IREA Working Papers 201111, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jul 2011.
  7. Germà Bel & Xavier Fageda & Melania Mur, 2009. "¿Por qué se privatizan servicios en los municipios (pequeños)?Evidencia empírica sobre residuos sólidos y agua," IREA Working Papers 200908, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Apr 2009.
  8. Heijnen, P., 2007. "The diffusion of differentiated waste disposal taxes in the Netherlands," CeNDEF Working Papers 07-09, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics in Economics and Finance.
  9. Germ� Bel & Xavier Fageda & Mildred E. Warner, 2010. "Is private production of public services cheaper than public production? A meta-regression analysis of solid waste and water services," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 553-577.
  10. Germà Bel & Melania Mur, 2008. "Intermunicipal cooperation and privatization of solid waste services among small municipalities in Spain," IREA Working Papers 200816, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Dec 2008.
  11. Germà Bel & Xavier Fageda, 2008. "Privatization and competition in the delivery of local services: An empirical examination of the dual market hypothesis," Working Papers XREAP2008-04, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised Apr 2008.
  12. Germa Bel & Anton Costas, 2004. "Do public sector reforms get rusty? An empirical analysis on privatization of solid waste collection," Public Economics 0409014, EconWPA.
  13. Daniel Albalate & Germà Bel & R. Richard Geddes, 2012. "“The determinants of contractual choice for private involvement in infrastructure projects in the United States”," IREA Working Papers 201220, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Dec 2012.

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