Measuring differences in efficiency in waste collection and disposal services from the EU targets in Campania municipalities

• Published in: Environmental and ecological statistics 2023-03, Vol.30 (1), p.81-101
• Main Authors: Ferraro, Aniello, Garofalo, Antonio, Marchesano, Katia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemistry and Earth Sciences; Circular economy; Computer Science; Data envelopment analysis; Dimensions; Ecology; Economic analysis; Economics; Environmental performance; Environmental protection; Garbage collection; Health Sciences; Life Sciences; Local government; Management services; Math. Appl. in Environmental Science; Medicine; Metropolitan areas; Municipal solid waste; Municipal waste management; Municipalities; Optimization; Physics; Protection; Regional development; Sanitation services; Solid waste management; Solid wastes; Statistics for Engineering; Statistics for Life Sciences; Sustainability; Theoretical Ecology/Statistics; Waste disposal; Waste management
• ISSN: 1352-8505; 1573-3009
• DOI: 10.1007/s10651-022-00554-3

The study analyses the economic and environmental performance of the 353 municipalities in the region of Campania in waste disposal and collection services. The study consists of three steps. Firstly, municipal performance in waste management services from a linear economy point view is assessed. Secondly, a circular economy paradigm is considered, and the economic (costs minimization) and environmental (unsorted waste minimization) performance is measured jointly. For these propose, two different Data Envelopment Analysis models are employed using the information provided by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research for the year 2016. Third, in order to rank the most virtuous municipalities toward a circular economy paradigm, the study defines a measure of the efficiency deviation from environmental sustainability. The results show a cluster of municipalities in the metropolitan area of Naples and Caserta with a worse performance in the environmental dimension but with a good performance in the economic dimension. The succession of national and regional regulations has accentuated the uncertainty in the executive process and in the management of the waste cycle, creating a regulatory vacuum. Local governments should act on citizen motivations, promoting awareness on environmental issues, and should implement time-saving collection methods. Highlights We analyse the economic and environmental performance of the 353 municipalities of the Campania region in waste disposal and collection services. Two different input-oriented models are used to analyse the input and output information provided by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research for 2016. The analysis highlights the importance of jointly assessing the economic and environmental dimension of the production process related to the management of municipal solid waste.