Econometric analysis of cleanup of illegal dumping sites in Japan: removal or remedial actions?

Abstract

Important issues in the cleanups of illegal dumping sites of hazardous waste are cost, time, and safety. Two types of response actions, removal actions (off-site cleanups), and remedial actions (on-site cleanups), are likely to depend on these factors. However, the empirical evidence on this is lacking. Consequently, this study examines the determinants of removal decisions about dumped waste and contaminated soil from the site. Moreover, it examines the determinants of costs and periods to cleanup illegal dumping sites. This study indicates that removal actions tend not to be selected as the amount of dumped waste increases in case of pooled data. Removal actions tend to be selected when toxic materials are included in the sites in case of full removal and pooled data. Partial removals tend to be selected in higher income municipalities than in lower income ones, though this result is not an excellent fit to the model. Furthermore, this study shows that full and partial removal raises cleanup costs by approximately 236 and 180 %, respectively. However, the cleanup period remains unchanged regardless of whether removal or remedial actions are taken. On the other hand, inclusion of toxic waste prolongs the disposal period by approximately 69 %.

Household Waste Management Practices and Challenges in a Rural Remote Town in the Hantam Municipality in the Northern Cape, South Africa

“…Off-site household waste management equates to disposal at a landfill or in public receptacles, donations, or delivery of separated recyclables to drop-off centres [18]. Off-site waste/recyclables disposal also includes 'conventional' environmentally unfriendly waste disposal practices [15,[20][21][22][23][24], such as open-burning and the dumping of waste in uncontrolled environments (for instance, on streets, in empty spaces, and on riverbanks). The latter practices pollute the environment, pose community health risks, and involve costly clean-ups of such sites by the local government [25].…”

“…Environmentally unfriendly off-site waste management practices of households, including burning practices, open-dumping, and littering, pose challenges to local authorities across countries, cultures, and languages as seen by studies in developed countries, such as Japan [22,24] and Australia [21], and developing countries, such as China [15], South Africa [20], and Nigeria [23]. In developing countries, agricultural, as well as household waste is often disposed of through open burning practices and open dumping [2,30].…”