Regulating the Dutch Waste Market

Abstract

Elbert Dijkgraaf defended his PhD-thesis 'Regulating the Dutch Waste Market' on 5 November 2004. This thesis analyses whether the risen costs of waste collection and treatment can be diminished by changing policy instruments. The thesis shows that user fees are very effective in reducing the total waste quantity, while they also result in better separation behavior. Furthermore, the use of contracting out to private or public firms reduces total collection costs. Third, a social cost benefit analysis, in which environmental effects are included, shows that landfilling is much cheaper than incineration. Finally, the use of international competition might reduce treatment costs. In total the thesis concludes that a cost saving of nearly 40% of current costs is possible when all four changes are implemented.

Keywords: Waste market, collection, treatment, landfilling, incineration, contracting out, cost-benefit analysis, model

JEL Classification: D21, H21, H31, H42, H43, H71, L33, L99, Q38