PRICE AND SUBSTITUTION IN RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE |
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Authors: | PAUL ISELY AARON LOWEN |
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Affiliation: | Isely:;Associate Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Phone 616-331-7418, 616-453-4707, Fax 616-331-7445, E-mail Lowen:;Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Phone 616-331-7445, 616-485-5680, Fax 616-331-7445, E-mail |
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Abstract: | Many per-unit curbside recycling and garbage collection pricing systems were implemented in the 1990s. A detailed data set is used to estimate the effect of an increase in the per-unit price change for a long-running pricing system across time in one city. A fixed-effects regression controls for collection district and explanatory variables including weather, time, and employment changes. The elasticity estimate is within the range of previous work but with a higher cross-price elasticity to recycling. This shift to recycling results in significant financial benefits to the city and a small decrease in social welfare. ( JEL Q5, Q53) |
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