Title: Economic efficiency issues with respect to recycling behaviour and waste management policy

Authors: Christer Berglund

Addresses: Division of Economics, Lulea University of Technology, SE 971 87 Lulea, Sweden

Abstract: Like motherhood and apple pie, recycling is often thought of as an unquestionable |good|. However, the economic, management and environmental issues involved are complex; there are numerous factors that need to be considered if recycling is to be efficient. The purpose of this paper is to analyse a number of economic efficiency issues with respect to recycling behaviour and waste management policy in a non-technical fashion aimed at an interdisciplinary audience. Among the main findings is that the degree of policy flexibility in affecting recovery and utilisation rates is limited, so additional policy targets are desirable.

Keywords: cost–benefit; economic efficiency; moral behaviour; recycling behaviour; waste management; sustainable development; policy; environmental management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2005.008892

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2005 Vol.8 No.3, pp.222 - 238

Published online: 02 Feb 2006 *

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