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Alternative Policies to Increase Recycling of Plastic Water Bottles in the United States

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  • W. Kip Viscusi
  • Joel Huber
  • Jason Bell

Abstract

Using an original, nationally representative sample of plastic water bottle users, this article examines the efficacy of various policy mechanisms to increase recycling. We evaluate the impact of bottle deposits and the stringency of a state's recycling laws on the provision of recycling opportunities and on recycling rates. Using household-level data and controlling for the type of recycling legal regime as well as the bottle deposit policies in each state, we find that mandated separation of recyclables, the availability of a recycling center in the community, and the provision of curbside pickup at houses or recycling locations at apartments increase recycling rates. Furthermore, we show that recycling opportunities are substitutes for each other. For example, although deposits for plastic water bottles and curbside recycling separately increase recycling rates, their impacts are each less pronounced if both policies are in place. Moreover, the efficacy of these policies exhibits a discontinuous effect on household behavior, with effective laws and deposit policies transforming nonrecyclers into diligent recyclers. An examination of two states before and after their deposit laws were altered to include plastic water bottles shows that changes in recycling laws do generate changes in recycling behavior. (JEL: Q28, K32) Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • W. Kip Viscusi & Joel Huber & Jason Bell, 2012. "Alternative Policies to Increase Recycling of Plastic Water Bottles in the United States," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 6(2), pages 190-211, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:renvpo:v:6:y:2012:i:2:p:190-211
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yokoo, Hide-Fumi & Kawai, Kosuke & Higuchi, Yuki, 2018. "Informal recycling and social preferences: Evidence from household survey data in Vietnam," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 109-124.
    2. 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.
    3. Abbott, Andrew & Nandeibam, Shasikanta & O'Shea, Lucy, 2017. "The Displacement Effect of Convenience: The Case of Recycling," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 159-168.
    4. Toshi H.Arimura & Shinji Kaneko & Shunsuke Managi & Takayoshi Shinkuma & Masashi Yamamoto & Yuichiro Yoshida, 2016. "Political Economy of Voluntary Approaches: A Lesson from Environmental Policies," Working Papers e107, Tokyo Center for Economic Research.
    5. 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.
    6. Russell Triplett & Chiradip Chatterjee & Christopher K. Johnson & Parvez Ahmed, 2019. "Perceptions of Quality and Household Water Usage: A Representative Study in Jacksonville, FL," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 25(2), pages 195-208, May.
    7. Paul Belleflamme & Huan Ha, 2024. "Improving Recycling: How Far Should We Go?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(7), pages 1993-2033, July.
    8. Wisam Abu Jadayil & Mohamed Rafik Noor Mohamed Qureshi & Rahaf Ajaj & Eman Aqil & Ghada Shawahin & Hamna Anver & Safa Aljeawi, 2022. "An Empirical Investigation on Plastic Waste Issues and Plastic Disposal Strategies to Protect the Environment: A UAE Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-22, December.
    9. Arimura, Toshi H. & Kaneko, Shinji & Managi, Shunsuke & Shinkuma, Takayoshi & Yamamoto, Masashi & Yoshida, Yuichiro, 2019. "Political economy of voluntary approaches: A lesson from environmental policies in Japan," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 41-53.
    10. Aphale, Omkar & Thyberg, Krista L. & Tonjes, David J., 2015. "Differences in waste generation, waste composition, and source separation across three waste districts in a New York suburb," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 19-28.
    11. Viscusi, W. Kip & Huber, Joel & Bell, Jason, 2023. "Changes in household recycling behavior: Evidence from panel data," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    12. Riggs, William, 2015. "Testing personalized outreach as an effective TDM measure," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 178-186.
    13. Cairns, Maryann R., 2018. "Metering water: Analyzing the concurrent pressures of conservation, sustainability, health impact, and equity in use," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 411-421.
    14. Yanan Liu & H. Allen Klaiber, 2023. "Don’t Drink the Water! The Impact of Harmful Algal Blooms on Household Averting Expenditure," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 86(1), pages 29-55, October.
    15. Rahaf Ajaj & Wisam Abu Jadayil & Hamna Anver & Eman Aqil, 2022. "A Revision for the Different Reuses of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Water Bottles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-14, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q28 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law

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