The effect of political and economic factors on environmental policies: recycling and waste management policies

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effect of political and economic factors on the adoption of environmental policies. I focus on the municipal waste recycling policies, particularly on the implementation of the Door-to-Door collection model, which leads to high recycling rates of municipal waste. I build a panel data comprising the period 2000-2019, at the Catalan municipal level. This analysis is based on the hypothesis that women in local politics are more likely to implement stricter environmental policies than their male counterparts, as the adoption of the Door-to-Door collection model. In addition, I analyze the influence of the “green” political parties, as another political factor. Furthermore, I examine whether economic motives, such as the landfill tax, is behind the adoption of this waste collection model. I do not find empirical evidence of any political factor influencing the adoption of the Door-to-Door model. Contrary, I do find a positive effect of the landfill tax on the implementation of the Door-to-Door collection model.