Privatizing Landfills: Market Solutions for Solid-waste Disposal

Publication Date: May 2000

Publisher: Reason Foundation

Author(s): Adrian T. Moore; Geoffrey F. Segal

Research Area: Environment

Type: Report

Abstract:

Local governments face increasing regulatory costs in owning and operating landfills, as well as ever more difficult challenges in finding politically acceptable locations for new facilities to replace old ones or accommodate new landfill growth. Many governments have responded to these regulatory and siting challenges by privatizing their landfills. Privatization options range from cooperative agreements with private firms for support services to management contracts, asset sales, and even complete reliance on the landfill market for services. To help public officials understand these options, as well as emerging policy issues such as consolidation in the solid-waste industry and attempts to control the flow of solid waste between states, this report examines in depth various objections to privatization, presents a number of detailed case studies of landfill privatization, and provides a short " how-to" guide for privatization.