Unit-pricing: minimising Christchurch domestic waste

Abstract

One economic tool that can aid in the achievement of waste minimisation targets is unit-pricing. Unit-pricing in the waste management sector refers to a pricing system that charges households for their collection and disposal service relative to the amount of waste disposed by the household. This research investigates the potential impact of implementing a unit-pricing policy for domestic waste collection and disposal services in Christchurch. Data is collected using a Contingent Valuation survey. A Poisson Quasi-Maximum Likelihood count model is specified for econometric analysis of demand for Christchurch City Council domestic collection services.