| By: |
Unfried, Kerstin (University of Göttingen);
Wang, Feicheng (University of Göttingen) |
| Abstract: |
Plastic waste trade has grown considerably in the last decades and has caused
severe environmental problems in recipient countries. As the largest
recipient, China has permanently banned the imports of plastic waste since
2018. This paper examines the causal effect of plastic waste imports on air
pollution by exploiting China's experience of importing plastic waste and the
recent import ban. Combining data on plastic waste imports with PM2.5 data at
the city level for the years 2000-2011, we find that plastic waste imports
increased PM2.5 density significantly. This effect is linked to expanded
production in the waste processing sector and an increased number of
incineration. To evaluate the impact of the import ban on air quality, we
employ daily data on air pollution between 2015 and 2020. Our
difference-in-differences results show that affected cities, relative to other
cities, experienced a significant improvement in air quality following the
ban. These findings suggest potential environmental gains from banning plastic
waste imports in other countries. |
| Keywords: |
PM2.5, air pollution, waste import ban, plastic waste trade, China |
| JEL: |
F18 F64 Q53 Q56 |
| Date: |
2022–04 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15218&r= |