Frans Oosterhuis, Elissaios Papyrakis, Benjamin Boteler, Economic
instruments and marine litter control, Ocean & Coastal Management,
Volume 102, Part A, December 2014, Pages 47-54, ISSN 0964-5691,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.08.005.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096456911400249X)
Abstract: This paper provides a comprehensive up-to-date review of the
literature on the economic instruments that can reduce marine litter. We
assess their cost of implementation, level of effectiveness as well as
indirect environmental and socio-economic effects (externalities) that
may arise as a result of their implementation. The evidence points to an
overall beneficial impact of environmental taxes on items such as
plastic bags in terms of reduced use, as well as a corresponding low
cost of implementation. In the same vein, deposit-refund schemes can
achieve high return rates for bottles although at a relatively high cost
(especially when the scheme targets a wide range of packaging types). In
the case of municipal waste collection, a ?pay-as-you-throw? charge can
be applied to incentivise waste reduction. In coastal areas, waste
collection and treatment can be further supported by the collection of
tourist taxes, although there is a high risk that these funds might be
used for other purposes. In the fishing industry, rewards for fishing
vessels that return waste to shore has been shown to both reduce marine
litter as well as complement fishermen's income. Since the vast majority
of marine litter comes from land-based sources and consists of plastic,
economic instruments that target relevant sources of land-based litter
more broadly stand to make the greatest contribution to marine litter
reduction. The choice of an appropriate intervention is case specific,
largely depending on the tackled source of pollution, the country's
institutional characteristics and infrastructure, consumer preferences
and habitual behaviour, and the economy's overall sectoral composition.