Recycling is a relatively inexpensive solution to much of the environmental contamination from plastics, glass, and other waste materials. Is it a sound policy to make it mandatory for everybody to recycle? Discuss

Micro Economics For Today
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ISBN:9781337613064
Author:Tucker, Irvin B.
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Chapter14: Environmental Economics
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Recycling is a relatively inexpensive solution to much of the environmental contamination from plastics, glass, and other waste materials. Is it a sound policy to make it mandatory for everybody to recycle? Discuss

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As recycling increases to maximum levels, the marginal benefit of recycling will fall. This is because, as recycling increases, the steps that provide the greatest benefit are taken initially, leaving the steps that provide less benefit for later. Therefore, the marginal benefit would fall.

On the other hand, as recycling increases to maximum levels, the marginal cost of recycling will rise. This is because; people use the cheap and easiest method of production initially, leaving the expensive methods for later.

Probably, the marginal benefit from the last unit recycled would be smaller than the marginal cost of the first unit discarded. Therefore, this is probably not a sound policy.

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