Cost Efficiency in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW): Different Alternatives in Service Delivery for Small and Medium Sized Spanish Local Governments

Jose-Luis Zafra-Gómez, Germán López-Pérez, Marta Garrido-Montañés and Elisabeth Zafra-Gómez
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Jose-Luis Zafra-Gómez: Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Germán López-Pérez: Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Marta Garrido-Montañés: Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Elisabeth Zafra-Gómez: Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: The provision of local public services has become one of the main concerns of local governments. Therefore, the selection of the most appropriate form of management to maximize efficiency levels in the provision of local public services has been widely analyzed throughout the academic literature. In this context, the aim of this paper is to add new knowledge to the literature on efficiency in the provision of local public services. To this end, we propose the study of four forms of management (interested indirect management; indirect management by concession; intermunicipal co-operation; public service provision) through a free disposal hull data panel (FDHDP) methodology for the 2014–2016 period. We find that public-private partnership contracting is less efficient on waste removal services when accounting for quality. However, the promised benefits of contracting out are realized when contractors are made responsive to service quality through concessions.

Keywords: efficiency; MSW; municipalities; public management; privatization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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