title: Extended producer responsibility for consumer waste: the gap between economic theory and implementation.
abstract: Although economic theory supports the use of extended producer responsibility (EPR) to stimulate prevention and recycling of waste, EPR systems implemented in Europe are often criticized as a result of weak incentives for prevention and green product design. Using a stylized economic model, this article evaluates the efficiency of European EPR systems. The model reveals that the introduction of static collection targets creates a gap between theory and implementation. Static targets lead to inefficient market outcomes and weak incentives for prevention and green product design. The minimum collection targets should be complemented with a tax on producers for the non-collected waste fraction. Because such a tax internalizes the cost of waste disposal, more efficient price signals will lead to better incentives for waste management in a complex and dynamic market.
authors.affiliation: Center for Economic Studies: Energy, Transport & Environment, KU Leuven, Belgium. maarten.dubois@econ.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubois
mesh_terms: D058735:Environmental Policy / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005062:European Union; D033161:Government Regulation; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D059027:Recycling; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D062611:Solid Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste