A cost-benefit analysis of a deposit-refund program for beverage containers in Israel
- Department of Economics and Management, Tel Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee 12210 (Israel)
The paper presents a full cost-benefit analysis of a deposit-refund program for beverage containers in Israel. We examine all cost elements of the program - storage, collection, and treatment costs of empty containers, and all potential benefits - savings in alternative treatment costs (waste collection and landfill disposal), cleaner public spaces, reduction of landfill volumes, energy-savings externalities associated with use of recycled materials, and creation of new workplaces. A wide variety of data resources is employed, and some of the critical issues are examined via several approaches. The main finding of the paper is that the deposit-refund program is clearly economically worthwhile. The paper contributes to the growing body of literature on deposit-refund programs by its complete and detailed analysis of all relevant factors of such a program, and also specifically in its analysis of the savings in alternative waste management costs. This analysis reveals greater savings than are usually assumed, and thus shows the deposit-refund program to be highly efficient.
- OSTI ID:
- 21357643
- Journal Information:
- Waste Management, Vol. 30, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2009.09.026; PII: S0956-053X(09)00380-8; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0956-053X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CONTAINERS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
EXTERNAL COST
ISRAEL
RECYCLING
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SOLID WASTES
STORAGE
ASIA
COST
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
MANAGEMENT
MIDDLE EAST
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES