【R6】 SOME RITUALS OF MODERN DOMESTIC LIVING VARY LITTLE THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPED WORL D. ONE SUCH IS THE MUNICIPAL REFUSE COLLECTION, USUALLY ONCE A WEEK, YOUR RUBBISH BAGS OR THE CONTENTS OF YOUR BIN DISAPPEAR INTO THE BOWELS OF A SPECIAL LORRY AND ARE CARTED AWAY TO THE LOCAL TIP. TO ECONOMISTS, THIS CEREMONY IS PECULIAR, BECAUSE IN MOST PLACES IT IS FRE E. YES, HOUSEHOLDS PAY FOR THE SERVICE OUT OF LOCAL TAXES. 【R6】______YET THE MARGINAL COST OF RUBBISH DISPOSAL IS NOT ZERO AT ALL. THE MORE PEOPLE THROW AWAY, THE MORE RUBBISH COLLECTORS AND TRUCKS ARE NEEDED, AND THE MORE THE LOCAL COUNCIL HAS TO PAY IN LANDFILL AND TIPPING FEES. 【R7】______BUT AS DON FULLERTON AND THOMAS KINNAMAN, TWO AMERICAN ECONOMISTS, HAVE FOUND, THIS SEEMINGLY EASY APPLICATION OF ECONOMIC SENSE TO AN EVERYDAY PROBLEM HAS SURPRISINGLY INTRICATE AND SOMETIMES DISAPPOINTING RESULTS. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, SEVERAL AMERICAN TOWNS AND CITIES HAVE STARTED CHARGING HOUSEHOLDS FOR GENERATING RUBBIS H. THE COMMONEST SYSTEM IS TO SELL STICKERS OR TAGS WHICH HOUSEHOLDERS ATTACH TO RUBBISH BAGS OR CANS. ONLY BAGS WITH THESE LABELS ARE PICKED UP IN THE WEEKLY COLLECTIO N. IN THE PAPER PUBLISHED LAST YEAR FULLERTON AND KINNAMAN STUDIED THE EFFECTS OF ONE SUCH SCHEME, INTRODUCED IN JULY 1992 IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, A TOWN OF ABOUT 40,000 PEOPL E. RESIDENTS WERE CHARGED 80 CENTS FOR EACH STICKER. THIS MAY SOUND LIKE THE SENSIBLE USE OF MARKET FORCES. IN FACT, THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE, THE SCHEMES BENEFITS DID NOT COVER THE COST OF PRINTING STICKERS, THE STICKER SELLERS COMMISSIONS, AND THE WAGES OF THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE SCHEM E. 【R8】______ THIS IS INEFFICIENT: COMPACTING IS DONE BETTER BY MACHINES AT LANDFILL SITES THAN BY INDIVIDUALS, HOWEVER ENTHUSIASTICALLY. THE WEIGHT OF RUBBISH COLLECTED IN CHARLOTTESVILLE FELL BY A MODEST 14% . 【R9】______THE ONE BRIGHT SPOT IN ALL THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A 15% INCREASE IN THE WEIGHT OF MATERIALS RECYCLED, SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE CHOSE TO RECYCLE FREE RATHER THAN PAY TO HAVE THEIR REFUSE CARTED AWAY. BUT THE FEE MAY HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH THE GROWTH IN RECYCLING, AS MANY CITIZENS WERE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN CHARLOTTESVILLE'S VOLUNTARY RECYCLING SCHEM E. 【R10】______TO DISCOURAGE DUMPING, FOR INSTANCE, LOCAL COUNCILS MIGHT HAVE TO SPEND MORE ON CATCHING LITTERS, OR RAISE FINES FOR LITTERING, OR CUT THE PRICE OF LEGITIMATE RUBBISH COLLECTIO N.