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Empirical analysis of solid management waste costs: Some evidence from Galicia, Spain

Author

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  • Germà Bel

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Barcelona)

  • Xavier Fageda

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Barcelona)

Abstract

This paper analyses the factors that determine solid waste service costs. The empirical analysis is based on information derived from a survey conducted in a sample of Galician municipalities. The results reveal economies of scale in municipalities of fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, such that cooperation between these municipalities could lead to cost savings. It also appears that private delivery is not cheaper than public delivery. Finally, designating a larger proportion of the total waste volume to recycling does not imply greater costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Germà Bel & Xavier Fageda, 2009. "Empirical analysis of solid management waste costs: Some evidence from Galicia, Spain," IREA Working Papers 200907, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Apr 2009.
    • Handle: RePEc:ira:wpaper:200907
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    10. 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.
    11. Henry Ohlsson, 2003. "Ownership and Production Costs: Choosing between Public Production and Contracting-Out in the Case of Swedish Refuse Collection," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 24(4), pages 451-476, December.
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    13. Bel, Germà & Warner, Mildred, 2008. "Does privatization of solid waste and water services reduce costs? A review of empirical studies," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 52(12), pages 1337-1348.
    14. Massarutto, Antonio, 2007. "Municipal waste management as a local utility: Options for competition in an environmentally-regulated industry," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 9-19, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bel Germà & Fageda Xavier & E. Mildred, 2014. "Is private production of public services cheaper than public production? A meta-regression analysis of solid waste and water services," Public administration issues, Higher School of Economics, issue 3, pages 103-140.
    2. Corrado lo Storto, 2021. "Eco-Productivity Analysis of the Municipal Solid Waste Service in the Apulia Region from 2010 to 2017," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, October.
    3. De Jaeger, Simon & Rogge, Nicky, 2014. "Cost-efficiency in packaging waste management: The case of Belgium," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 106-115.
    4. Germà Bel, 2013. "Local government size and efficiency in capital-intensive services: what evidence is there of economies of scale, density and scope?," Chapters, in: Santiago Lago-Peñas & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez (ed.), The Challenge of Local Government Size, chapter 6, pages 148-170, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. 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.
    6. Marques, Rui Cunha & da Cruz, Nuno Ferreira & Carvalho, Pedro, 2012. "Assessing and exploring (in)efficiency in Portuguese recycling systems using non-parametric methods," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 34-43.
    7. Roland Zullo, 2019. "Explaining Privatization Failure: The Vice of Sweet Carrots and Hard Sticks," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 51(1), pages 111-128, March.
    8. Massimo Beccarello & Giacomo Di Foggia, 2023. "Efficient scale and scope of business models used in municipal solid waste management," European Journal of Management and Business Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(4), pages 492-508, April.
    9. Juan Luis Gómez-Reino & Santiago Lago-Peñas & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2021. "Evidence on Economies of Scale in Local Public Service Provision: A Meta-Analysis," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper2116, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    10. Juan Luis Jiménez & Jordi Perdiguero & Ancor Suárez, 2011. "Debating as a classroom tool for adapting learning outcomes to the European higher education area," IREA Working Papers 201109, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jun 2011.
    11. Lluís Bermúdez & Antoni Ferri & Montse Guillén, 2011. "A correlation sensitivity analysis of non-life underwriting risk in solvency capital requirement estimation," IREA Working Papers 201113, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Sep 2011.
    12. Miguel Santolino & Catalina Bolancé & Manuela Alcañiz, 2011. "Factors affecting hospital admission and recovery stay duration of in-patient motor victims in Spain," IREA Working Papers 201119, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Oct 2011.
    13. 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.
    14. David Castells-Quintana & Vicente Royuela, 2014. "Agglomeration, inequality and economic growth," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 52(2), pages 343-366, March.
    15. Groot, Jim & Bing, Xiaoyun & Bos-Brouwers, Hilke & Bloemhof-Ruwaard, Jacqueline, 2014. "A comprehensive waste collection cost model applied to post-consumer plastic packaging waste," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 79-87.
    16. S. R. Parthan & M. W. Milke & I. Sheerin, 2019. "Solid Waste Management Cost Function Analysis in Industrialising Cities: Lessons from the Healthcare Sector," Journal of Development Policy and Practice, , vol. 4(2), pages 145-165, July.
    17. 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.
    18. Di Foggia, Giacomo & Beccarello, Massimo, 2023. "Designing circular economy-compliant municipal solid waste management charging schemes," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

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    Keywords

    solid waste services; costs; local government;
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