Toshiaki Sasao

Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University
(2-1, Rokkodai-cho, Nada-Ku, Kobe 657-8501 Japan)

Abstract

This paper discusses the regional (or social) factors and policy-based factors having effects on household waste generation. First, we estimated that a volume-based pricing system for solid waste services reduces waste by about 14% on average. However, it depends on regional differences and we show that the reduction effect is more remarkable in rural areas than in urban areas. Second, we analyzed the effects of the reduction by sorted collection which is important under the Law of Recycling of Containers and Packaging. We show that when the number of sorted items is increased marginally, the amount of waste decreases by about 1-2%; however, the reduction effect gradually becomes weaker, Maximum reduction (about 136g of waste reduction per capita per day) of about 11 items of sorted waste can be achieved.

Key words: household waste, user fees for solid waste services, sorted collection, regional factors, policy-based factors