Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0

Author-Name: Tommaso Colussi
Author-X-Name-First: Tommaso
Author-X-Name-Last: Colussi
Author-Email: tommaso.colussi@unicatt.it
Author-Workplace-Name: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Author-Workplace-Name: Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore


Author-Name: Matteo Romagnoli
Author-X-Name-First: Matteo
Author-X-Name-Last: Romagnoli
Author-Email: matteo.romagnoli@unicatt.it
Author-Workplace-Name: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Author-Workplace-Name: Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Author-Name: Elena Villar
Author-X-Name-First: Elena
Author-X-Name-Last: Villar
Author-Email: elena.villar@unicatt.it
Author-Workplace-Name: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Author-Workplace-Name: Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore





Title: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Taxing Waste.


Abstract: This paper investigates the economic and environmental effects of pay-as-youthrow
(PAYT) waste programs. Using a newly constructed longitudinal dataset
of Italian municipalities and a staked-by-event design, we obtain three main findings:
(i) PAYT programs significantly reduce total waste production; (ii) they
further decrease waste management costs and leave municipal finances unaffected;
(iii) they generate positive spillover effects on pro-environmental behaviors not
directly targeted by the program. Survey evidence suggests that PAYT increases
environmental awareness and concerns of the population in treated municipalities. 
Length: 52
Creation-Date: 2022-09
File-URL: http://dipartimenti.unicatt.it/economia-finanza-def118.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
File-Function: First version, 2022
Number: def118
Classification-JEL: C21, H23, Q53. 
Keywords: Waste Management, Taxation, Difference-in-Differences, Variation in Treatment Timing.
Handle: RePEc:ctc:serie1:def118