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Global Reuse and optimal waste policy

Author

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  • Yokoo, Hide-Fumi
  • Kinnaman, Thomas C.

Abstract

Electronic waste generated from the consumption of durable goods in developed countries is often exported to underdeveloped countries for reuse, recycling and disposal with unfortunate environmental consequences. The lack of efficient disposal policies within developing nations coupled with global free trade agreements make it difficult for consumers to internalize these costs. This paper develops a two-country model, one economically developed and the other underdeveloped, to solve for optimal tax policies necessary to achieve the efficient allocation of economic resources in an economy with a durable good available for global reuse without policy measures in the underdeveloped country. A tax in the developed country on purchases of the new durable good combined with a waste tax set below the domestic external cost of disposal is sufficient for global efficiency. The implication of allowing free global trade in electronic waste is also examined, where optimal policy resembles a global deposit-refund system.

Suggested Citation

  • Yokoo, Hide-Fumi & Kinnaman, Thomas C., 2013. "Global Reuse and optimal waste policy," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(5), pages 595-614, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:endeec:v:18:y:2013:i:05:p:595-614_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Joltreau, Eugénie & Sarmiento, Luis, 2025. "Recycling in a Globalized Economy," RFF Working Paper Series 25-19, Resources for the Future.
    2. Núñez-Rocha, Thaís & Martínez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada, 2019. "Are international environmental policies effective? The case of the Rotterdam and the Stockholm Conventions," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 480-502.
    3. Ba, Bocar Samba & Combes-Motel, Pascale & Schwartz, Sonia, 2020. "Challenging pollution and the balance problem from rare earth extraction: how recycling and environmental taxation matter," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(6), pages 634-656, December.
    4. Thomas Kinnaman & Hide-Fumi Yokoo, 2011. "The Environmental Consequences of Global Reuse," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 71-76, May.
    5. Satoshi Honma, 2019. "Optimal policies for international recycling between developed and developing countries," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 143-153, August.

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