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Curbside Recycling: Waste Resource Or Waste Of Resources?

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  • Aadland, David
  • Caplan, Arthur J.

Abstract

In this paper, we estimate the social net benefits of curbside recycling. Benefits are estimated using survey data on household willingness to pay (WTP) from over 4,000 households across 40 western U.S. cities. We calibrate WTP for hypothetical bias using an experimental design that contrasts stated and revealed preferences. Cost estimates are compiled from previous studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Institute for Local Self Reliance, as well as from in-depth interviews with recycling coordinators in our sampled cities. Remarkably, we find that the estimated mean social net benefit of curbside recycling is almost exactly zero. Therefore, the decision of whether to implement or maintain a curbside recycling program (CRP) must be done on a city-by-city basis.

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  • Aadland, David & Caplan, Arthur J., 2004. "Curbside Recycling: Waste Resource Or Waste Of Resources?," 2004 Annual meeting, August 1-4, Denver, CO 19971, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea04:19971
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.19971
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    1. Chuanhui Liao & Dingtao Zhao & Shuang Zhang & Lanfang Chen, 2018. "Determinants and the Moderating Effect of Perceived Policy Effectiveness on Residents’ Separation Intention for Rural Household Solid Waste," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Bohara, Alok K. & Caplan, Arthur J. & Grijalva, Therese, 2007. "The effect of experience and quantity-based pricing on the valuation of a curbside recycling program," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 433-443, December.
    3. Viscusi, W. Kip & Huber, Joel & Bell, Jason, 2023. "Changes in household recycling behavior: Evidence from panel data," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    4. Xiaoyue Liu & Jeongsoo Yu & Kazuaki Okubo & Masahiro Sato & Toshiaki Aoki, 2021. "Case Study on the Efficiency of Recycling Companies’ Waste Paper Collection Stations in Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-13, October.
    5. Min Gong & David Aadland, 2011. "Interview Effects in an Environmental Valuation Telephone Survey," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 49(1), pages 47-64, May.
    6. Xuan Thi Dan Huynh & Tien Dung Khong & Adam Loch & Huynh Viet Khai, 2023. "Solid waste management program in developing countries: contingent valuation methodology versus choice experiment," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(11), pages 12395-12417, November.
    7. Dominique Ami & Frédéric Aprahamian & Olivier Chanel & Stéphane Luchini, 2011. "A Test of Cheap Talk in Different Hypothetical Contexts: The Case of Air Pollution," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 50(1), pages 111-130, September.
    8. Wagner, Jeffrey, 2011. "Incentivizing sustainable waste management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 585-594, February.
    9. Berck, Peter & Sears, Molly & Taylor, Rebecca L.C. & Trachtman, Carly & Villas-Boas, Sofia B., 2024. "Reduce, reuse, redeem: Deposit-refund recycling programs in the presence of alternatives," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    10. Ankinée Kirakozian, 2016. "One Without The Other? Behavioural And Incentive Policies For Household Waste Management," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 526-551, July.
    11. Tongzhe Li & Ana Espínola-Arredondo & Jill J. McCluskey, 2016. "Promoting Residential Recycling: An Alternative Policy Based on a Recycling Reward System," Games, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-18, August.
    12. Arthur Caplan & Douglas Jackson-Smith & Sandy Marquart-Pyatt, 2010. "Does 'free-sampling' enhance the value of public goods?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(4), pages 335-339.
    13. Gorm Kipperberg & Douglas Larson, 2012. "Heterogeneous Preferences for Community Recycling Programs," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 53(4), pages 577-604, December.
    14. Schill, Marie & Shaw, Deirdre, 2016. "Recycling today, sustainability tomorrow: Effects of psychological distance on behavioural practice," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 349-362.
    15. W. Kip Viscusi, 2022. "Efficiency criteria for nudges and norms," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 191(3), pages 465-482, June.
    16. Caplan, Arthur J. & Sims, Charles & Anderson, Elliot Jordan, 2014. "Measuring the environmental cost of hypocrisy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 124-135.
    17. Abderahman Rejeb & Karim Rejeb & Suhaiza Zailani & Yasanur Kayikci & John G. Keogh, 2023. "Examining Knowledge Diffusion in the Circular Economy Domain: a Main Path Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    18. Antonio Massarutto & Francesco Silvestri, 2015. "Free municipal waste trade as an incentive to recycling. A theoretical study," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(3), pages 89-107.
    19. Ghalehkhondabi, Iman & Maihami, Reza & Ahmadi, Ehsan, 2020. "Optimal pricing and environmental improvement for a hazardous waste disposal supply chain with emission penalties," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental Economics and Policy; Public Economics;

    JEL classification:

    • Q26 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Recreational Aspects of Natural Resources
    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities

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