Pay as you throw

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Pay as you throw (PAYT) ^[1] is a usage pricing model for disposing of municipal solid waste. PAYT is sometimes referred to a unit pricing or variable rate pricing. Users pay a variable rate based on how much waste that they generate. Recycleable waste is often collected free of charge.

There are two separate rationales for using variable rate pricing: economic and environmental.

Contents 1 Economic 2 Environmental 3 Implementation models 4 Risks 5 See also 6 References

[edit] Economic

Variable rate pricing increases the incentive to generate less waste. In communities where the flat fee is insufficient to cover the costs of solid waste disposal, tax subsidies are frequently used. This create two levels of subsidy which hide the true cost of waste disposal. The first subsidy is paid by the community through taxes and the second subsidy is paid by those who generate less waste to cover the costs of those who generate more trash.

[edit] Environmental

Communities who have implemented PAYT systems have seen substantial decreases in the quantity of waste that they generate and substantial increases in the amount of recycling that occurs^[2]. This benefits the environment by reducing pollution from landfills and incinerators. It also benefits the environment by increasing the supply of recycled materials that can be used instead of raw materials.

[edit] Implementation models

PAYT has been implemented by many communities ranging from large cities to small towns. In communities with kerbside collection, PAYT is frequently implemented by charging a fee for a particular container for waste which is picked up weekly. In communities with a centralised spot for waste collection such as a civic amenity site or transfer station), PAYT is frequently implemented by requiring waste to be placed in particular binbags which are sold at a higher than normal fee with the excess price used to finance the disposal costs^[3]. In some communities any trash bag can be used but a waste sticker must be affixed to each bag or container^[1].

[edit] Risks

PAYT can potentially encourage fly-tipping and other detrimental forms of waste disposal, such as passing it to unlicensed or illegal waste disposal operatives. Europe applies a lifetime duty of care to waste to ensure that it cannot just be palmed off to an operator.

In order for PAYT to be effective at reducing waste, and to discourage illegal dumping, it should be accompanied by effective recycling and alternative disposal programs, such as yard waste collection and curbside recycling^[4].

[edit] See also

• Waste management concepts

	Topics related to waste management	edit
Anaerobic digestion | Composting | Incineration | Landfill | Mechanical biological treatment | Radioactive waste | Recycling | Sewerage | Waste | Waste collection | Waste sorting | Waste hierarchy | Waste management | Waste management concepts | Waste legislation | Waste treatment technology

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} PAYT - Frequently Asked Questions (HTML). United States Enviromental Protection Agency (2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
2. ^ Mark Ruzzin. Pay-As-You-Throw - Let's Start. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
3. ^ Janice Canterbury (1999). Designing a Rate Structure for Pay-As-You-Throw (PDF). Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
4. ^ Recycling and Other Complementary Programs (HTML). Retrieved on 2006-11-26.