Is Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Economically Efficient?
It has traditionally been argued that recycling municipal solid waste (MSW) is usually not economically viable and that only when externalities, long-term dynamic considerations, and/or the entire product life cycle are taken into account, recycling becomes worthwhile from a social point of view. This article explores the results of a wide study conducted in Israel in the years 2000-2004. Our results reveal that recycling is optimal more often than usually claimed, even when externality considerations are ignored.The study is unique in the tools it uses to explore the efficiency of recycling: a computer-based simulation applied to an extensive database. We developed a simulation for assessing the costs of handling and treating MSW under different waste-management systems and used this simulation to explore possible cost reductions obtained by designating some of the waste (otherwise sent to landfill) to recycling. We ran the simulation on data from 79 municipalities in Israel that prod
Related Questions
- Ive heard about the Recovered Energy System (RES), recycling Municipal Solid Waste (MSW, household garbage) into electricity, and ethanol. What is it and how does it work?
- How will gasification of municipal solid waste impact The City’s recycling and blue box programs?
- Is Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Economically Efficient?
