Fostering Recycling Participation in Wisconsin Households through Single-Stream Programs

52 Pages Posted: 13 Feb 2016 Last revised: 3 Aug 2016

See all articles by Jason Bell

Jason Bell

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business

Joel Huber

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business

W. Kip Viscusi

Vanderbilt University - Law School; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Vanderbilt University - College of Arts and Science - Department of Economics; Vanderbilt University - Owen Graduate School of Management; Vanderbilt University - Strategy and Business Economics

Date Written: August 1, 2016

Abstract

Single-stream recycling enables households to recycle an unsorted mix of cans, plastic, glass, and paper, thereby reducing recycling costs. The expansion of single-stream recycling in Wisconsin provides a natural experiment to assess the extent to which single-stream increases recycling behavior. Using a longitudinal database that matches household recycling participation to county-level recycling policies from Wisconsin, we identify respondent and county characteristics that promote recycling. The results of both fixed effects regressions and a differences-in-differences analysis demonstrate that single-stream programs increase recycling within households. The shift from dual to single-stream has benefits exceeding costs.

Keywords: recycling, single-stream recycling, natural experiment, difference-in-difference

JEL Classification: K32, Q28, R2

Suggested Citation

Bell, Jason and Huber, Joel and Viscusi, W. Kip, Fostering Recycling Participation in Wisconsin Households through Single-Stream Programs (August 1, 2016). Land Economics, Forthcoming, Vanderbilt Law and Economics Research Paper No. 16-3, Vanderbilt Public Law Research Paper No. 16-22, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2731294 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2731294

Jason Bell

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business ( email )

Box 90120
Durham, NC 27708-0120
United States

Joel Huber

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business ( email )

Box 90120
Durham, NC 27708-0120
United States
919-660-7785 (Phone)

W. Kip Viscusi (Contact Author)

Vanderbilt University - Law School ( email )

131 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203-1181
United States
615-343-7715 (Phone)
615-322-5953 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://law.vanderbilt.edu/bio/?pid=w-kip-viscusi

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Vanderbilt University - College of Arts and Science - Department of Economics

Box 1819 Station B
Nashville, TN 37235
United States
(615) 343-7715 (Phone)
(615) 343-5953 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://as.vanderbilt.edu/economics/bio/wkip-viscusi/

Vanderbilt University - Owen Graduate School of Management

401 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
United States
(615) 343-7715 (Phone)
(615) 343-5953 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://business.vanderbilt.edu/bio/w-kip-viscusi/

Vanderbilt University - Strategy and Business Economics

Nashville, TN 37203
United States

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