Biography
Biography: Doron Lavee
Abstract
The research analyses the factors influencing the recycling potential of municipalities. Previous studies have shown that a waste management system that combines both landfill and recycling may be economically efficient, yet in practice many municipalities still do not operate significant recycling programs. The current paper identifies factors that predict where potential for economically efficient recycling is highest. It is shown that a small number of municipal characteristics, for which data is readily available, determine the recycling potential of the municipality. By applying our simple model to such data, it is possible to predict with close to 90% accuracy whether or not recycling will be economically efficient in any given municipality. Government ministries and agencies working to advance preferred waste management solutions have at their disposal only limited resources and budget, and so must concentrate their efforts where they will be most effective. The paper thus provides a powerful tool to help policy makers direct their efforts to encourage recycling at those municipalities where recycling is optimal, effectively replacing the need to carry out costly individual cost-benefit analyses.