Out of sight, out of mind. This human characteristic has an enormous impact on how much people think—or forget about—waste. Since it seemingly “disappears” after being left at the curbside, the act of tossing something in the trash is easy to disassociate from everything that follows. It takes a conscious effort to ensure that the convenience of waste disposal does not completely obscure its environmental consequences. To counter our tendency toward indifference, Concord, New Hampshire is joining many other cities across the country by introducing a program to control local disposal costs by putting a price on what gets thrown away (See article).
Euphemistically known as “Pay As You Throw”, the plan links the cost of trash collection to the volume generated by each resident on a per-bag basis. The idea puts a readily identifiable price—and color—on throwing away trash by selling purple bags to be used as the exclusive waste container by all households. This model tries to create more judicious consumers by giving them an incentive to buy products with less packaging and greater potential for reuse. Similar to postage stamps or toll roads, “Pay As You Throw” is a more equitable way to pay for measurable levels of service. It doubles as a mechanism for enhancing environmental stewardship by giving residents a way to personally reduce landfill use and their local carbon footprint. While The Wall Street Journal article on the subject notes that while a number of communities experience backlash over Pay As You Throw programs, overall, the program works as a positive incentive for recycling and reducing illegal dumping.
A challenge, however, could be enforcement. Trash collection has traditionally been a public service vs. a private one because it is in the public interest to make sure waste is disposed of properly. Financing collection using taxes makes sure everyone shares the cost. The flat fee for unlimited service also prevents dumping of trash on private property or in public spaces. Charging residents for each bag they throw away may give a perverse incentive for unscrupulous people to avoid charges by dumping trash illegally.
The feasibility of “Pay As You Throw” depends on whether the incentive to reduce trash by charging for every bagful will be stronger than the city’s ability to enforce penalties for illegal disposal. Perhaps more importantly, success also depends on the ability to persuade people that not just their economic interests are at stake.
I think this model could work, but it is important to link the mission to the cost. So, rather than having people see this as an additional financial burden in a difficult economic time, they feel their money is contributing to a better and cleaner world.