International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

2.0 Policy Instruments for Waste Management
2.1 Introduction
There are a range of different policy instruments which could be used to address the
issues which arise in the context of waste management. Most countries resort to a
mix of:
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� Command and control instruments, which set standards that have to be met
(e.g. compulsory targets for recycling), or limits (e.g. to emissions of pollutants)
that cannot be exceeded. These might include:
• Technology standards:
for example, elaboration of best available techniques;
• Product quality standards:
for example, standards for different quality grades of compost;
• Emissions standards or limit values:
for example, the limit values set for emissions from incinerators under
the Waste Incineration Directive; and
• Performance targets:
for example, local authority recycling targets.
� Economic instruments, including: 40
• User charges:
for example, charges for the use of waste services. Note that the
definition of ‘charges’ is not formalised, but that typically, a charge will
be paid in exchange for a service, and the charge will vary with the level
of service demanded / received;
• Product charges:
for example, charges applied to products that create pollution either
through their manufacture, consumption or disposal (e.g. charges on
batteries). In the waste arena, these are typically used to modify
relative prices and / or to finance collection and treatment systems;
• Taxes:
Taxes differ from charges in that they are unrequited payments to the
central government. The unrequited nature of these payments relates
to the fact that they are paid irrespective of the level of service received
from central government (for example, landfill taxes, product (e.g.
plastic bag) taxes, etc.). Taxes are occasionally ear-marked for specific
40 See, for example, OECD (1999) Economic Instruments for Pollution Control and Natural Resources
Management in OECD Countries: A Survey, ENV/EPOC/GEEI(98)35/REV1/FINAL, October 1999.
International Review of Waste Policy: Annexes