Factors Influencing Illegal Dumping in Communities with Variable Rate Programs

Hajime Yamakawa*, Kazuhiro Ueta** and Yutaka Terashima***
* Faculty of Human Environment, Kyoto Prefectural University
** Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University
*** Faculty of Human Environment, Osaka Sangyo University
+ Correspondence should be addressed to Hajime Yamakawa:
(1-5 Shimogamo-Hangi-Cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8522 Japan)

Abstract
In this study, we examine factors driving illegal dumping, based on surveys of cities with variable charges on waste disposul. We found that about 40% such cities experienced an increase in illegal dumping and about 90% of these cities had an ongoing problem. A further finding is that in two municipalities the increase in illegal dumping amounted to less than 1% of the total decrease in combustible waste. Those municipalities with illegal dumping problem before the introduction of variable charges fended to be the same municipalities with increase of illegal dumping after the introduction of varlable charges. In addition, among municipalities that had an illegal dumping problem prior to the introduction of variable rates, those that introduced separate collection systems at the same time tended to see a rise in illegal dumping. The incidence of illegal dumping was also higher in municipalities where the price of waste bags was higher, although this factor was not statistically significant.

Key words: illegal dumping, variable rates, factors in the illegal dumping problem