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| 2. |
- Berglund, Christer, et al.
(author)
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A note on inter-country differences in waste paper recovery and utilization
- 2002
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In: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. - 0921-3449 .- 1879-0658. ; 34:3, s. 175-191
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Countries worldwide express waste paper recycling targets in terms of recovery and utilization rates. The main purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the most important determinants of inter-country differences in these waste paper rates. By employing two regression models and using data for 89 and 81 countries, respectively, the paper concludes that relative waste paper recovery and use are largely market-determined, and depend thus on long-standing economic factors such as population intensity and competitiveness in the world market for paper and board products. We also find evidence that supports the conjecture that rich countries tend to recover relatively more waste paper than is the case in low-income countries, reflecting the higher demand for waste management and environmental policies in more developed economies. As recovery and utilization rates are determined largely by long-standing economic and demographic characteristics the degree of policy flexibility in affecting these rates may be limited. In particular, an ambitious utilization rate target may be very costly to enforce as it can conflict with existing trade patterns of paper and board products as well as with other environmental goals. Additional policy targets may, therefore, be desirable, especially since paper recycling is motivated primarily by environmental concerns and seldom is a benign activity in itself.
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| 3. |
- Berglund, Christer, et al.
(author)
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An econometric analysis of global waste paper recovery and utilization
- 2003
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In: Environmental and Resource Economics. - 0924-6460 .- 1573-1502. ; 26:2, s. 429-456
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The main purpose of this paper is to provide aneconometric analysis of the most importantdeterminants of inter-country differences inwaste paper recovery and utilization rates. Byemploying pooled time series and cross-sectiondata over 49 countries worldwide and sevenyears, the paper concludes that relative wastepaper recovery and use depend largely onlong-standing economic factors such aspopulation intensity and competitiveness in theworld market for paper and board products. Wealso find evidence that supports the conjecturethat rich countries tend to recover relativelymore waste paper than is the case in low-incomecountries, reflecting the higher demand forwaste management and environmental policies inmore developed economies. As recovery andutilization rates are determined by economicand demographic characteristics the degree ofpolicy flexibility in affecting these rates maybe limited. In particular, an ambitiousutilization rate target may be very costly toenforce as it can conflict with existing tradepatterns of paper and board products as well aswith other environmental goals. Additionalpolicy targets may therefore be desirable,especially since paper recycling is motivatedprimarily by environmental concerns and seldomis a benign activity in itself.
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| 4. |
- Berglund, Christer, et al.
(author)
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Complementing empirical evidence on global recycling and trade of waste paper
- 2003
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In: World Development. - 0305-750X .- 1873-5991. ; 31:4, s. 743-754
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This comment provides a critical analysis of Van Beukering and Bouman’s [World Development 29 (2001) 1717] article on global paper recycling and trade. We first question their notion that developing countries specialize in waste paper utilization and developed countries in recovery activities primarily because of different patterns of waste paper trade. An increased focus on relative waste paper availability, we argue, provides us with a better understanding of global paper recycling. We also criticize some of the implicit assumptions made in their regression analysis of waste paper utilization rates. An alternative regression model is therefore derived and estimated. In contrast to the approach used by Van Beukering and Bouman our analysis (a) is consistent with basic microeconomic theory; (b) distinguishes clearly between short- and long-run impacts; and (c) produces results that support our initial conjecture that waste paper availability is the most important determinant of waste paper use.
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| 6. |
- Jonsson, Bo, et al.
(author)
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The Russian coal industry in transition : a linear programming application
- 2001
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In: OPEC Review. - : Wiley. - 0254-3958 .- 0277-0180 .- 1468-0076. ; 25:1, s. 53-78
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper analyses the restructuring of the Russian steam coal market. The main purpose is to compare the prevailing steam coal flows between mine basins and electric utilities and the actual coal prices with those that would prevail in an efficient market. The analysis is done within a short-run linear programming model. Coal demands and supplies are identified. The objective function that is minimised consists of the delivered costs, i.e. extraction plus transportation costs, subject to exogenous demand requirements and capacity restrictions. We conclude that, in spite of attempted restructuring, the Russian coal steam coal market is still highly inefficient. This is mainly due to the fact that large amounts of coal are delivered over very long distances, a pattern that often cannot be justified in economic terms. Because of cost-inefficient coal deliveries and large subsidies, coal prices are also highly distorted. Given the communist legacies of the past, the restructuring process will probably take considerable time and is unlikely to be successful until there is a fundamental change in the economic and political institutions.
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| 8. |
- Lundmark, Robert, et al.
(author)
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Estimating and decomposing the rate of technical change in the Swedish pulp and paper industry : A general index approach
- 2004
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In: International Journal of Production Economics. - 0925-5273 .- 1873-7579. ; 91:1, s. 17-35
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this paper is to analyse the rate and the impacts of technical change in the Swedish pulp and paper industry. In contrast to earlier research on this industry we replace the standard time trend with time-specific dummy variables enabling the estimation and decomposing of a general index of technical change. The analysis is made within a Translog cost function model, which is estimated using a panel data set with observations across individual paper and board mills over the time period 1974–1994. Our results indicate that the highest rates of technical change have generally occurred during the latter part of this period. Pure technical change is the primary component that has directed technical change over the entire time period. We also find evidence of non-neutral technical change. Energy use has been stimulated by technical improvements while labour use has been discouraged. Also, technical change has had wastepaper and woodpulp using impacts. However, the magnitudes of these latter impacts are relatively small, implying that the increase in wastepaper use during the last decades has mainly been stimulated by relative price changes.
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| 9. |
- Lundmark, Robert, et al.
(author)
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Structural changes in Swedish wastepaper demand : a variable cost function approach
- 2003
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In: Journal of Forest Economics. - : Now Publishers. - 1104-6899 .- 1618-1530. ; 9:1, s. 41-63
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The primary purpose of this paper is to analyse the short-run price responsiveness of wastepaper demand in Sweden for four different paper and board products, as well as any structural changes in demand behaviour for these products over time. The analysis is done within a variable Translog cost function model, and we employ data for individual paper and board mills over the time period 1974-1994. The results suggest that the short-run own-price sensitivity of waste paper demand is relatively high compared to those of other input factors, and it has also tended to increase over time for some of the paper products. In addition, wastepaper demand has also become more sensitive to changes in energy prices, and its use increases with increases in the price of energy. However, the relationship between wastepaper and woodpulp is more complex, and in many instances wastepaper and woodpulp are short-run complements. Overall this implies that price based recycling policies will be relatively successful in promoting wastepaper use, but they will not necessarily lead to the conservation of virgin forest resources.
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| 10. |
- Lundmark, Robert, et al.
(author)
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Technical change in the swedish pulp and paper industry : a general index approach
- 2002
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In: Policy modelling.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The overall purpose of this paper is to analyze the rate and the impacts of technical change in the Swedish paper and pulp industry. In contrast to earlier research in this field we replace the time trend with time-specific dummy variables enabling the estimation and decomposing of a general index of technical change. The analysis is made within a Translog cost function model, which is estimated using a panel data set with observations across paper and board mills over the period 1974-1994. Our results indicate that the highest rates of technical change have generally occurred during the latter part of the period. Pure technical change is the primary component that has directed technical change over the entire time period. We also find evidence of non-neutral technical change. Energy use has been stimulated by technical improvements while labour use has been discouraged. Also, technical change has had wastepaper and woodpulp using impacts. However, the magnitude of theselatter impacts is small.
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