Multimedia Waste Disposal Optimization under Uncertainty with an Ocean Option

Many communities face a waste management crisis. An increase in waste generation and decline in available landfill capacity have led to rapid increases in waste management costs. Using sewage sludge management in coastal New York and New Jersey as an example, this paper examines optimal multimedia waste disposal under cost uncertainty. Using expected value-variance analysis, the study looks at the effects on the optimal disposal strategy of uncertainty associated with waste-management cost and the community's risk preferences. The results indicate that, based on available cost data, the optimal strategy of a moderately risk-averse decision maker is to manage sludge through land-based facilities. These results hold over a wide range of risk-aversion parameters and even at low levels of cost uncertainty. Thus, the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 is consistent with such results.waste disposal, ocean dumping, EV (expected value-variance) analysis, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Space disposal of nuclear wastes. Volume 1: Socio-political aspects

The history and interpretation of radioactive waste management in the U.S., criteria for choosing from various options for waste disposal, and the impact of nuclear power growth from 1975 to 2000 are discussed. Preconditions for the existence of high level wastes in a form suitable for space disposal are explored. The role of the NASA space shuttle program in the space disposal of nuclear wastes, and the impact on program management, resources and regulation are examined

Waste management and household effort: toward an enhanced ADF policy

Advanced Disposal Fees (ADF) are rather popular in waste management policies, but they cease any waste reduction effort at the household level. We propose a waved ADF policy which enhances this system by giving to the households the possibility to sign a waste reduction contract in counterpart of a lower fee. These contracts satisfy an incentive, a budget balancing and a participation constraints. For these feasible contracts, we show that this enriched ADF policy is welfare improving and always induces a waste reduction e¤ort.Waste Management, Disposal Fee Policy, Household Effort, Contracts

Big Chicken: Pollution and Industrial Poultry Production in America

Describes how the consolidation of the poultry industry raises concerns about treatment and disposal of waste, especially in the Chesapeake Bay area. Policy recommendations include caps on animal density and shared responsibility for waste management

Toward waste management contracts

This paper deals with the cost of treatment of the ultimate waste, that is waste which cannot, in the absence of recycling opportunities, be reduced by a suitable taxation scheme. We propose a new way to handle this waste based on aWaste Management Contracts (WMC) which largely implicates the households in the cost reduction process. Within a set of feasible, i.e. budget balancing, incentive compatible and acceptable, contracts we characterize the optimal WMC and compare this system to a more standard one based on an Advanced and a Disposal FeeWaste Management, Disposal Fee Policy, Household Effort, Contracts

Municipal Solid Waste Regulation: An Ineffective Solution to a National Problem

The volume of solid waste, particularly in urban areas, is increasing, and both public heath and the environment are in jeopardy because disposal methods have not kept pace. This Comment examines the historical role that municipalities have played in providing adequate methods for solid waste disposal, emphasizes the traditional methods of zoning and critiques the effectiveness of municipal regulation. It reviews recent federal and state solid waste management acts and analyzes the issue of preemption. This Comment also discusses the constitutionality of state and municipal waste bans. In conclusion, this Comment recommends more effective methods for states and municipalities to pursue in solving the problems of solid waste disposal

The Costs of Disposal and Recycling. An Application to Italian Municipal Solid Waste Services

The paper investigates the costs of waste disposal and recycling services by using a well-behaved Composite cost function model. Our estimates on a unique sample of more than 500 Italian municipalities highlight that the refuse collection technology exhibits constant returns to scale as well as scope economies between disposal and recycling. As far as the size of the municipality increases, scope economies rise up to 14%, but they are accompanied with overall diseconomies of scale. Our findings suggest that, on the one hand, joint management of disposal and recycling should be encouraged, and, on the other hand, that strategies aimed at increasing the share of waste sent for recycling would not imply a considerable increase in total costs.solid waste, recycling, cost functions