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In contrast to many other countries that finance the costs of waste disposal with a levy per house or household, Switzerland relies on benefit-related financing. Residents buy special bags for their waste, which include a disposal fee in the price. Thus, the more waste there is, the more fees that are paid. This has led to a significant reduction in the total volume of waste and increase in the proportion of waste that is recycled.

The polluter pays principle has recently been adapted by the OECD, European Environment Agency, and other international organizations as the Polluter Pays Concept. The idea here is that the users of a natural resource finance the costs incurred by the general public as a result of its use. The inclusion of these costs makes the resource more expensive and thus creates a market mechanism that reduces the consumption of the resource.

Most countries in Europe charge a user fee to vehicles using their highways. The concrete design varies depending on the country. In Germany, for example, passenger cars are free (Tax-financed service model); in France, charges are collected at toll booths, and in Switzerland a heavy vehicle charge is lev¬ied at the border for international transfers.

The city of Stanford in Connecticut sells waste that can be recycled and disposed of in the city. This di-rectly reduces costs associated with normal waste disposal. Over $1 million is raised annually through recycling, which directly reduces public spending.

In Australia, recycled materials such as rubber from used wheels are reused in road construction. The government has identified eight materials that can be used in recycled form in different ways on roads and for reparation purposes.