Title: Developing and evaluating new policy instruments for sustainable waste management

Authors: Göran Finnveden; Mattias Bisaillon; Maria Noring; Åsa Stenmarck; Johan Sundberg; Jan-Olov Sundqvist; Sara Tyskeng

Addresses: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Division of Environmental Strategies Research, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden. ' Profu, Årstaängsvägen 1A, 117 43 Stockholm, Sweden. ' KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Division of Environmental Strategies Research, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden. ' IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Box 210 60, 100 31 Stockholm, Sweden. ' Profu, Götaforsliden 13, 431 34 Mölndal, Sweden. ' IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Box 210 60, 100 31 Stockholm, Sweden. ' KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Division of Environmental Strategies Research, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to suggest a number of interesting policy instruments that can make the Swedish waste management system more sustainable. Approximately 60 suggestions for policy instruments were gathered through a number of workshops with stakeholders. These were further prioritised in a workshop with stakeholders and by the research team resulting in a list of 15 instruments: information to citizens and companies; tax on raw materials; weight-based waste collection fee; environmentally differentiated waste collection fee; waste minimisation in enterprises; 'Advertising brochures - yes, please!'; recycling certificates; developed collection systems; tax on incineration of waste from fossil fuels; tax on incineration of waste; including waste in green certificates for electricity production; tax on hazardous substances; labelling of goods with hazardous substances; improved control by authorities; differentiated VAT and ban on incineration of recyclable materials. Several policy instruments are needed that can complement each other.

Keywords: incineration; landfills; recycling; producer responsibility; policy instruments; sustainable waste management; sustainability; Sweden; taxation; labelling; hazardous substances; fees.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2012.049140

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.11 No.1, pp.19 - 31

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article