United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5305W)
EPA530-F-96-029
April 1997
&EPA Pay-As-You-Throw
A Fact Sheet for State Officials
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Like most state
environmental
officials and
planners, you've
probably been
emphasizing the
MSW management
hierarchy:
recommending that
communities reduce
and recycle as much
as possible.
Today, waste reduction is the
focus of MSW planning in
most states. This has helped
recycling programs to spread
quickly, and recycling markets have
been developed to purchase and
process the collected materials.
Source reduction, however, has fallen
behind this pace. While the rate of
increase is slowing, individuals in
this country are continuing to gener-
ate more waste each year-and, as a
result, waste management is growing
more difficult. Communities in your
state need programs that will do
more than increase recycling: they
need to encourage residents to pre-
vent waste, too.
For growing numbers of communi-
ties, "pay-as-you-throw" programs
are being used to achieve this goal.
While fewer than 200 programs were
in existence as recently as the mid-
1980s, today nearly 2,000 communi-
ties across the country have adopted
them.
What is
pay-as-you-throw?
Pay-as-you-throw programs, also
known as unit-based or variable-rate
pricing, provide direct economic
incentives for individuals to create
less trash. Households are charged
for waste collection based on the
amount of waste they throw away-
in the same way that they are
charged for electricity, gas, and
other utilities. As a result, residents
are motivated not only to recycle
more, but also to generate less
waste in the first place.
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Pay-as-you-throw programs can be structured in sev-
eral different ways. Some communities charge resi-
dents based on the volume of waste they generate.
Under volume-based programs, residents pay for each
bag or can they fill up. Communities also can require
that residents purchase tags or stickers and affix them
to their own containers. Other communities bill resi-
dents based on the weight of their trash, although
because of the cost of the equipment needed to weigh
the waste and record the amount for billing purposes,
weight-based programs are far less common.
What are the benefits of
pay-as-you-throw?
However they are structured, all
pay-as-you-throw programs share
important benefits for both commu-
nities and their residents. First,
households under pay-as-you-throw k
have more control over their solid
waste management costs. While they
may not realize it, residents pay for
the waste management services they
receive. And whether they pay
through their taxes or with a flat
fee, residents who generate less and
recycle more are paying for neighbors who generate
two or three times as much. With pay-as-you-throw,
residents who reduce and recycle are rewarded with
a lower trash bill.
This incentive has resulted in reported average
reductions in waste amounts ranging from 25 to 35
percent. Recycling tends to increase significantly as
well, further cutting down on the amount of waste
requiring disposal. This can mean lower disposal
costs, savings in waste transportation expenses,
potentially greater revenues from the sale of recov-
ered materials, and other savings.
Less waste and increased recycling at the local level
translate into an improved solid waste management
picture statewide. Larger amounts of recovered mate-
rials will become available to processors and remanu-
facturers, encouraging the development of recycling
capacity and other infrastructure investments. The
potential for lower costs can help increase the long-
term economic stability of your communities' MSW
programs. And less waste means fewer natural
resources will be depleted, less energy used, and less
landfill space consumed, helping to preserve your
state's environment. Because of these kinds of advan-
tages, pay-as-you-throw has received bipartisan sup-
port at both the state and local levels. The use of
pay-as-you-throw also has been endorsed by the
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
Are there disadvantages to
pay-as-you-throw?
While there are potential barriers to a successful
program, communities with pay-as-you-throw have
found effective solutions. Local
officials, for example, often
assume that illegal dumping
will increase once residents are
asked to pay for each container
of waste they generate. Most
communities with pay-as-you-
throw have found this not to
be the case, however, especial-
ly when they offer their resi-
dents recycling, composting for
yard trimmings, and other pro-
grams that allow individuals to
reduce waste legally. Others, particularly lower-
income residents, worry about the amount they will
have to pay. In many communities, however, coupon
or voucher programs are helping to defray their
expenses.
How can I learn more about
pay-as-you-throw?
EPA has developed a series of products for anyone
interested in pay-as-you-throw. Individuals looking
for more information on these programs can request
additional fact sheets, community success stories,
and other materials. For local solid waste planners
interested in bringing pay-as-you-throw to their
community, EPA has developed a comprehensive set
of tools to help them design and implement a
successful program. To find out more about EPA's
collection of products, call the Pay-as-you-throw
Helpline toU free at 888-EPA-PAYT.
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