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Policy Mixes to Achieve Absolute Decoupling: A Case Study of Municipal Waste Management

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  • Francesca Montevecchi

    (Institute for Managing Sustainability, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Welthandelsplatz 1, Building D1, A-1020 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

Studying the effectiveness of environmental policies is of primary importance to address the unsustainable use of resources that threatens the entire society. Thus, the aim of this paper is to investigate on the effectiveness of environmental policy instruments to decouple waste generation and landfilling from economic growth. In order to do so, the paper analyzes the case study of the Slovakian municipality of Palarikovo, which has drastically improved its waste management system between 2000 and 2012, through the utilization of differentiated waste taxes and awareness-raising and education campaigns, as well as targeting increased recycling and municipal composting. We find evidence of absolute decoupling for landfilled waste and waste generation, the latter being more limited in time and magnitude. These policy instruments could therefore play an important role in municipalities that are still lagging behind in waste management. More specifically, this policy mix was effective in moving away from landfilling, initiating recycling systems, and to some extent decreasing waste generation. Yet, a more explicit focus on waste prevention will be needed to address the entirety of the problem effectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesca Montevecchi, 2016. "Policy Mixes to Achieve Absolute Decoupling: A Case Study of Municipal Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:5:p:442-:d:69400
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Lorena Olmos, 2020. "Factores explicativos de la generación de residuos municipales en Catalunya," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2020-10, FEDEA.
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    4. Tiejun Dai & Shuo Shan, 2020. "Path Analysis of Beijing’s Dematerialization Development Based on System Dynamics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-23, January.
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    6. Yevgeniya Arushanyan & Anna Björklund & Ola Eriksson & Göran Finnveden & Maria Ljunggren Söderman & Jan-Olov Sundqvist & Åsa Stenmarck, 2017. "Environmental Assessment of Possible Future Waste Management Scenarios," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-27, February.

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