The economic value of curbside recycling as a club good and as a public good: A case study of Morgantown and Monongalia County, West Virginia

Abstract

AbstractIn Morgantown, West Virginia, curbside recycling is available to residents who reside within the city limits. However, residents in Monongalia County who reside outside the Morgantown city limits are expected to bring their recyclables to a drop‐off site which discourages people from recycling in general. Moreover, there exists a disparity between residents within and outside the Morgantown city limits in terms of rights to have access to curbside recycling. This study presents the economic value of curbside recycling at the County level. Furthermore, the paper presents a framework and empirical analysis that separate the value of the improved program as a club good and the value of the program as a public good, using a survey data from Morgantown and Monongalia County in collaboration with a local waste and recycling service provider.