Policy evaluation of waste pricing programs using heterogeneous causal effect estimation

Marica Valente

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 2023, vol. 117, issue C

Abstract: Using machine learning methods in a quasi-experimental setting, I study the heterogeneous effects of introducing waste prices – unit prices on household unsorted waste disposal – on waste demands and municipal costs. Using a unique panel of Italian municipalities with large variation in prices and observables, I show that waste demands are nonlinear. I find evidence of constant elasticities at low prices, and increasing elasticities at high prices driven by income effects and waste habits before policy. The policy reduces waste management costs in all municipalities after three years of adoption, when prices cause significant reductions in total waste.

Keywords: Waste pricing; Causal effect heterogeneity; Machine learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 C21 Q52 Q53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0095069622001085
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
Working Paper: Policy evaluation of waste pricing programs using heterogeneous causal effect estimation (2022)
Working Paper: Policy Evaluation of Waste Pricing Programs Using Heterogeneous Causal Effect Estimation (2021)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:117:y:2023:i:c:s0095069622001085

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2022.102755

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management is currently edited by M.A. Cole, A. Lange, D.J. Phaneuf, D. Popp, M.J. Roberts, M.D. Smith, C. Timmins, Q. Weninger and A.J. Yates

More articles in Journal of Environmental Economics and Management from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().