Does Quality Matter in the Iron and Scrap Trade?

Etsuyo Michida, Atici Cemal and Kojima Michikazu

No 282, IDE Discussion Papers from Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Abstract: This paper sheds light on the iron and steel (IS) scrap trade to examine how economic development affects the quality demanded of recyclable resource. A simple model is presented that show a mechanism of how scrap quality impacts the direction of trade due to comparative advantage. We find that economic development in both importing and exporting countries has a positive effect on the quality of traded recyclables. Developed countries that intend to improve the domestic recovery of recyclables should raise the quality of separating recyclables while developing countries should tighten environmental regulations to help decrease the import of recyclables that cause pollution.

Keywords: Recycling (waste; etc.); Iron; International trade; Environmental problems; Developing countries; Developed countries; Iron and steel; Scrap; Environment; Trade (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F18 O13 Q53 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-03-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env and nep-int
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in IDE Discussion Paper = IDE Discussion Paper, No. 282. 2011-03-01

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