IMF Working Papers

Disposal is Not Free: Fiscal Instruments to Internalize the Environmental Costs of Solid Waste

By Thornton Matheson

December 20, 2019

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Format: Chicago

Thornton Matheson. Disposal is Not Free: Fiscal Instruments to Internalize the Environmental Costs of Solid Waste, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2019) accessed September 20, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

This paper provides an overview of global solid waste generation, its environmental costs, and fiscal instruments that can be used to encourage waste reduction and finance proper disposal. Countries—especially island nations--struggle to manage an ever-increasing volume of solid waste, generation of which is projected to exceed 2 billion tons a year by 2025. Although solid waste management is usually relegated to subnational governments, externalities from inadequate management, which include greenhouse gas emissions and ocean plastic pollution, reach global scale. National governments thus play a critical role in creating incentives for waste minimization and ensuring adequate resources for proper waste management. This paper evaluates potential fiscal instruments to achieve these goals, particularly in developing country policy environments.

Subject: Consumption, Environment, Expenditure, Greenhouse gas emissions, Income, National accounts, Public expenditure review

Keywords: Advance disposal fee, Africa, Consumption, Deposit-refund, Disposal cost, Environmental tax, Extended producer responsibility, Generation rate, Global, Government waste management plan, Greenhouse gas emissions, Income, Landfill tax, Local government, Plastic bag tax, Property tax, Public expenditure review, Recycling, Solid waste, Tipping fee, Virgin material tax, Waste disposal, Waste generation, WP

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    36

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

    ---

  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2019/283

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2019283

  • ISBN:

    9781513521589

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941

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