Work

Transition from a fixed fee to a pay-as-you-throw waste tariff scheme: Effectiveness of environmental and accountability appeals

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) tariff schemes, in which households pay based on their waste generation, are proposed as solutions to the growing worldwide challenge of municipal solid waste management. However, public acceptance of such schemes remains low. Using a one-factor between-subject experimental survey design with 620 participants, we test the effects of environmental and accountability appeals and of individual characteristics in shaping preferences for a proposed PAYT scheme in Grenoble, France. We find a positive effect of the accountability appeal and no effect of the environmental appeal on preference for the PAYT scheme compared to a fixed-fee scheme. Additional analyses suggest that accountability appeals are particularly effective for individuals with below-median age, above-median income, and at least a master's degree, indicating that policymakers should target younger and educated citizens with these appeals in PAYT campaigns. Future research could test the applicability of these findings in other settings and for other waste-related interventions.

Source: Journal of Environmental Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125603

Authors: Lesman Ghazaryan, Corinne Faure, Joachim Schleich, Mia M. Birau

Institutions: Grenoble Ecole de Management, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, École de management de Lyon

Language: English

Topic: Municipal Solid Waste Management

Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,750