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Factors Influencing the Privatisation of Urban Solid Waste Collection in Spain

Author

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  • Germà Bel

    (Research Unit on Economic Regulation and Public Policy, Department of Economic Policy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avd. Diagonal 690, 08034 Barcelona, Spain, gbel@eco.ub.es)

  • Antonio Miralles

    (Research Unit on Economic Regulation and Public Policy, Department of Economic Policy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avd. Diagonal 690, 08034 Barcelona, Spain, graapp@eco.ub.es)

Abstract

This paper analyses some of the organisational aspects of urban solid waste collection. It starts by discussing some of the theoretical issues of contracting out. Then, an explanatory model is specified and estimated on a sample of surveyed municipalities. The purpose is twofold: first, to identify the role of some economic factors when deciding to contract out the service; secondly, to analyse the role of politics in choosing between public production and contracting out. The results show a significant effect of the demand of waste collection on contracting out. There also appears to be a neighbouring effect as municipalities close to others already contracting out are also more prone to do so. Finally, the decisions to contract out seem to have been motivated by pragmatic rather than ideological reasons.

Suggested Citation

  • Germà Bel & Antonio Miralles, 2003. "Factors Influencing the Privatisation of Urban Solid Waste Collection in Spain," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 40(7), pages 1323-1334, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:40:y:2003:i:7:p:1323-1334
    DOI: 10.1080/0042098032000084622
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jaakko Meriläinen & Janne Tukiainen, 2019. "Public Procurement versus Laissez-Faire: Evidence from Household Waste Collection," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo, vol. 65(4), pages 446-463.
    2. E. Dijkgraaf & R.H.J.M. Gradus, 2008. "How to Get Increasing Competition in the Dutch Refuse Collection Market?," Springer Books, in: E. Dijkgraaf & R.H.J.M. Gradus (ed.), The Waste Market, chapter 0, pages 101-109, Springer.
    3. Ruiz-Villaverde, Alberto & González-Gómez, Francisco & J. Picazo- Tadeo, Andrés, 2015. "The privatisation of urban water services: theory and empirical evidence in the case of Spain," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 31, pages 157-174.
    4. Alexandre Mayol & Stéphane Saussier, 2020. "Retaking Control of Local Public Services A Step-by-Step Strategy," Working Papers of BETA 2020-43, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    5. Germa Bel & Anton Costas, 2006. "Do Public Sector Reforms Get Rusty? Local Privatization in Spain," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 1-24.
    6. Juri Demuth & Hans W. Friederiszick & Steffen Reinhold, 2022. "Reverse Privatization as a Reaction to the Competitive Environment: Evidence from Solid Waste Collection in Germany," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 60(2), pages 217-261, March.
    7. 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.
    8. Nuria Boch Roca & Javier Suárez Pandiello, 2015. "Politics and Finance in Spanish Municipalities," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 212(1), pages 51-66, March.
    9. Alberto Ruiz-Villaverde & Miguel A. García-Rubio, 2017. "Public Participation in European Water Management: from Theory to Practice," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(8), pages 2479-2495, June.
    10. repec:rre:publsh:v:37:y:2007:i:2:p:207-50 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. José L Zafra-Gómez & Ana María Plata-Díaz & Gemma Pérez-López & Antonio Manuel López-Hernández, 2016. "Privatisation of waste collection services in response to fiscal stress in times of crisis," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(10), pages 2134-2153, August.
    12. Julio César Puche-Regaliza & Santiago Porras-Alfonso & Alfredo Jiménez & Santiago Aparicio-Castillo & Pablo Arranz-Val, 2021. "Exploring determinants of public satisfaction with urban solid waste collection services quality," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 9927-9948, July.
    13. Jorge Guardiola & Francisco González-Gómez & Miguel A. García-Rubio, 2008. "Is the time dimension really important in research into contracting out?," FEG Working Paper Series 08/02, Faculty of Economics and Business (University of Granada).
    14. Anders Sundell & Victor Lapuente, 2012. "Adam Smith or Machiavelli? Political incentives for contracting out local public services," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 469-485, December.
    15. Meeyoung Lamothe & Scott Lamothe, 2015. "Exploring the Determinants of Local Service Termination," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1453-1474, November.
    16. Germà Bel & Xavier Fageda & Melania Mur, 2011. "Why do municipalities cooperate to provide local public services? An empirical analysis," IREA Working Papers 201118, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Oct 2011.
    17. Wassenaar, M.C. & Dijkgraaf, E. & Gradus, R.H.J.M., 2007. "Contracting out: Dutch municipalities reject the solution for the VAT-distortion," Serie Research Memoranda 0003, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    18. Amitrajeet Batabyal & Peter Nijkamp, 2009. "Two aspects of waste management from the viewpoints of a waste generator and a recipient," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(4), pages 337-341.
    19. Juri Demuth & Hans W. Friederiszick & Steffen Reinhold, 2018. "Reverse privatization as a reaction to the competitive environment: Evidence from solid waste collection in Germany," ESMT Research Working Papers ESMT-18-02_R1, ESMT European School of Management and Technology, revised 05 Oct 2021.
    20. Antonio Massarutto, 2019. "Italian waste in the circular economy: A agenda for industry regulators in Italy," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2019(1), pages 9-48.
    21. Navarro-Espigares, José Luis & Martín-Segura, José Aureliano & Pérez-López, César & Maraver-Tarifa, Guillermo, 2018. "Waste Management in the Spanish Municipalities: Is Commitment to Local Agenda 21 more than good Intentions?," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 40, pages 35-56.

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