ENVIRONMENTAL EXTERNALITIES AND THE SOCIAL OPTIMUM OF WASTE DISPOSAL METHODS IN ALGERIA

Abstract

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This article studies the question of municipal waste disposal method in Algeria. We compared three waste disposal option using cost-benefit analysis in a number of municipalities in the wilaya of Boumerdes: discharge, the technical landfill and composting. Facing the predominant organic waste in municipal waste composition, a combination of composting and recycling is the best solution for disposal. The integration of social costs in the analysis yields a net social cost for the composting/ recycling option from (-4209 DA / T). However, i f we proceed to the calculation of private costs by eliminating the external costs, the discharge is the most effective option with a cost per ton from 1412 DA.