Effects of policy instruments on waste intensities

As part of the research programme Towards Sustainable Waste Management, this report includes a discussion on how various policy instruments can affect the waste intensity coefficients in the general equilibrium model EMEC, when this model is used for calculating the Swedish waste quantity for the year 2030. We find that information to households can be assumed to reduce the waste intensity of households by 10%, as a calculation example. Paper waste from households can be reduced by 20% if direct advertisements are distributed only to households that state that they want such information. We expect information to companies and organisations, tax on hazardous waste, and a differentiated Value Added Tax to have little effect on the waste intensity coefficients. For several other policy instruments discussed in this report, the effects on waste intensity coefficients can be significant, but we have no basis for making quantitative assumptions.