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The Economics of Residential Solid Waste Management

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  • Thomas C. Kinnaman
  • Don Fullterton

Abstract

This paper provides a broad overview of recent trends in solid waste and recycling, related public policy issues, and the economics literature devoted to these topics. Public attention to solid waste and recycling has increased dramatically over the past decade both in the United States and in Europe. In response, economists have developed models to help policy makers choose the efficient mix of policy levers to regulate solid waste and recycling activities. Economists have also employed different kinds of data to estimate the factors that contribute to the generation of residential solid waste and recycling and to estimate the effectiveness of many of the policy options employed.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas C. Kinnaman & Don Fullterton, 1999. "The Economics of Residential Solid Waste Management," NBER Working Papers 7326, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:7326
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    Cited by:

    1. Takehiro Usui & Kenji Takeuchi, 2014. "Evaluating Unit-Based Pricing of Residential Solid Waste: A Panel Data Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 58(2), pages 245-271, June.
    2. Abbott, Andrew & Nandeibam, Shasikanta & O'Shea, Lucy, 2013. "Recycling: Social norms and warm-glow revisited," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 10-18.
    3. 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.
    4. Antonella Tomasi & Giovanna Messina, 2021. "Wasted in waste? The benefits of switching from taxes to Pay-As-You-Throw fees: The Italian case," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2021(2), pages 7-38.
    5. Dijkgraaf, E. & Gradus, R. H. J. M., 2004. "Cost savings in unit-based pricing of household waste: The case of The Netherlands," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 353-371, December.
    6. Gellynck, Xavier & Verhelst, Pieter, 2007. "Assessing instruments for mixed household solid waste collection services in the Flemish region of Belgium," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 372-387.
    7. Thomas Eichner & Rüdiger Pethig, 2000. "Gebuehrenstrategien in einem disaggregierten Modell der Abfallwirtschaft," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 85-00, Universität Siegen, Fakultät Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschaftsinformatik und Wirtschaftsrecht.
    8. Gionata Castaldi & Grazia Cecere & Mariangela Zoli, 2021. "“Smoke on the beach”: on the use of economic vs behavioral policies to reduce environmental pollution by cigarette littering," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(3), pages 1025-1048, October.
    9. Giuseppe Lucio Gaeta & Stefano Ghinoi & Francesco Silvestri, 2017. "Municipal performance in waste recycling: an empirical analysis based on data from the Lombardy region (Italy)," Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 337-352, October.
    10. Brandon C. Koford & Glenn C. Blomquist & David M. Hardesty & Kenneth R. Troske & Margaret Hughes & Fred Morgan, 2012. "Estimating Consumer Willingness to Supply and Willingness to Pay for Curbside Recycling," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 88(4), pages 745-763.
    11. Caplan, Arthur J. & Grijalva, Therese C. & Jakus, Paul M., 2002. "Waste not or want not? A contingent ranking analysis of curbside waste disposal options," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2-3), pages 185-197, December.
    12. Ho, Phuong, 2022. "The Costs and Environmental Justice Concerns of NIMBY in Solid Waste Disposal," SocArXiv v8wfg, Center for Open Science.
    13. repec:osf:socarx:v8wfg_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. repec:ebl:ecbull:v:17:y:2008:i:21:p:1-10 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Michael Odei Erdiaw-Kwasie & Matthew Abunyewah & Kofi Kusi Owusu-Ansah & Charles Baah & Khorshed Alam & Marita Basson, 2025. "Circular economy and agricultural employment: a panel analysis of EU advanced and emerging economies," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(5), pages 10469-10496, May.

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    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy

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