First replica of the Volume-Based Tariff Model for waste management in San-ta Cruz-Galápagos

Abstract

As the world population grows, the need to meet greater resource demands leads to a proportional increase in solid waste generation. This trend has been difficult to reverse in the last decade, but when it comes to minimizing waste generation, there is an innovative model that has successfully reduced per capita production (PPC) in the medium term called the "Volume-based Tariff System". South Korea implemented this model since 1995 under the motto "polluter pays", managing to decrease PPC from 2,3 to 1,1 kilograms of waste per day per inhabitant in just 5 years, in a country with an average of 51 million inhabitants. Inspired by this success, the canton of Santa Cruz in the Galápagos province replicated the Volume-based Tariff System, adapting it to local realities. They justified its implementation with the goals of reducing local PPC, increasing recycling, creating incentives, complying with the reform of the Organic Law of the Public Service of Electric Energy (2019), and implementing a variable tariff based on volume. The results mirrored those of South Korea: since its implementation in May 2021, Santa Cruz reduced per capita waste generation from 0,77 kilograms per day per inhabitant in 2019 to 0,44 kg by 2022. Additionally, within 6 months, recyclable materials increased from 78,17 tons in May to 132,47 tons in December 2021, these achievements led the Municipal GAD of Santa Cruz to win the 2022 Green Award from the Development Bank of Ecuador. This experience demonstrates that the Volume-based Tariff Model could be successfully replicated in Santa Cruz. While challenges remain for improvement, being the first replication in Ecuador has yielded excellent results.

Keywords

• per capita
• tariff model
• urban waste
• whoever generates pays