Assessing the Performance of Solid Waste Recycling Programs Over Time

Abstract

This article examines variation in the success of solid waste recycling programs in Florida based on the administrative design of recycling programs, state-level incentives and constraints, economic resources, and citizens’ environmental support. After describing trends in solid waste programs and recycling success in Florida counties from 1991 through 1996, the authors estimate a model to explain variation in the success of recycling as indicated by recycling rates. The empirical analysis applies pooled cross-sectional time-series techniques. The results demonstrate that economic resources have greater significance to program success than do either administrative design or environmental support. The authors discuss the implications of this finding for both the study and practice of local solid waste management. In conclusion, they highlight the need for future research to examine interactions among economic resources, citizen attitudes, and administrative factors to identify the contexts in which particular programmatic design factors are likely to be most effective.