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The costs of municipal waste and recycling programs

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  • Bohm, Robert A.
  • Folz, David H.
  • Kinnaman, Thomas C.
  • Podolsky, Michael J.

Abstract

This paper estimates cost functions for both municipal solid waste collection and disposal services and curbside recycling programs. Cost data are obtained from a national survey of randomly selected municipalities. Results suggest, perhaps unsurprisingly, that both marginal and average costs of recycling systems exceed those of waste collection and disposal systems. Economies of scale are estimated for all observed quantities of waste collection and disposal. Economies of scale for recycling disappear at high levels of recycling—marginal and average cost curves for recycling take on the usual U-shape. Waste and recycling costs are also estimated as functions of factor costs and program attributes.

Suggested Citation

  • Bohm, Robert A. & Folz, David H. & Kinnaman, Thomas C. & Podolsky, Michael J., 2010. "The costs of municipal waste and recycling programs," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 54(11), pages 864-871.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:54:y:2010:i:11:p:864-871
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2010.01.005
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    Cited by:

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    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Ba, Bocar Samba & Soubeyran, Raphael, 2023. "Hotelling and recycling," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    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. Campbell, Benjamin & Khachatryan, Hayk & Behe, Bridget & Hall, Charles & Dennis, Jennifer, 2016. "Crunch the can or throw the bottle? Effect of “bottle deposit laws” and municipal recycling programs," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 98-109.
    8. Marques, Rui Cunha & da Cruz, Nuno Ferreira & Simões, Pedro & Faria Ferreira, Sandra & Pereira, Marta Cabral & De Jaeger, Simon, 2014. "Economic viability of packaging waste recycling systems: A comparison between Belgium and Portugal," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 22-33.
    9. Keramitsoglou, Kiriaki M. & Tsagarakis, Konstantinos P., 2013. "Public participation in designing a recycling scheme towards maximum public acceptance," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 55-67.
    10. 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.
    11. Nazatul Haron & Shaufique F. Sidique & Alias Radam, 2017. "Examining the Attributes of Electronic Waste Recycling Service: A Choice Modelling Approach," Asian Social Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(8), pages 1-12, August.
    12. Marcinkowski, Andrzej & Kowalski, Arkadiusz Michał, 2012. "The problem of preparation the food packaging waste for recycling in Poland," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 10-16.
    13. Vásquez, Óscar C. & Álvarez, Adolfo & Silva, Julio & Muga, Alicia Pincheira, 2014. "Towards the estimation of demand for recycling in Chile: The case of Santiago," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 94-102.
    14. Lakhan, Calvin, 2015. "Diversion, but at what cost? The economic challenges of recycling in Ontario," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 133-142.
    15. Hickle, Garth T., 2014. "An examination of governance within extended producer responsibility policy regimes in North America," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 55-65.
    16. 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.
    17. Fitzgerald, Garrett C. & Krones, Jonathan S. & Themelis, Nickolas J., 2012. "Greenhouse gas impact of dual stream and single stream collection and separation of recyclables," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 50-56.
    18. Škamlová Lucia & Klobučník Michal, 2021. "Recycling of municipal waste in Slovak cities," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 53(53), pages 43-54, September.
    19. 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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