What is the environmental benefit?

Experience has shown that total trash volumes drop quickly, significantly, and sustainably with PAYT systems.  That means less environmental damage caused by trash disposal, trash collection, and the production of goods in the first place.  Households respond to PAYT programs by using less packaging, reusing grocery bags, and composting and recycling more.  More recycling reduces the need for ‘virgin’ resources extracted from forests, oil reserves, and mines; so we use less energy, reduce the emission of greenhouse gases as well as other air and water pollutants, and conserve natural resources.