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Separate waste collection and landfilling represent two key outcomes of waste management. Italy recently observed major shifts in waste targets. Regional policymakers, in charge of devising waste management plans, have been required to review their strategies, in view of the transition towards circular economy. This work proposes a theoretical framework that outlines the policymaker's problem and estimates regional efficiency in waste management using Data Envelopment Analysis on time series data. We find that the target shifts reduced efficiency in the short run, but encouraged the circular economy transition over time. Current waste management regulations need to consider regional heterogeneity when setting targets and constraints. • Targets for Separate Waste Collection and landfilling have been introduced in Italy. • Simultaneous pursual of both targets fosters the transition towards circularity. • This work outlines and solves the environmental policymaker's problem. • Using DEA, we estimate efficiency in waste management for Italian regions. • The targets reduced efficiency in the short run but fostered circularity over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pro-environmental behaviours have been studied extensively in the economic literature, with particular regard to the effects induced by unemployment. A key element that was little investigated in previous contributions consists in intrahousehold dynamics. This work provides a novel microeconomic framework describing the interaction between economic cycle and intrahousehold time allocation that is ultimately responsible for the adoption of pro-environmental behaviours. Intrahousehold differences in productivity represent a key assumption in this framework. The theoretical model is then tested empirically on recent Italian observations using Data Envelopment Analysis. Our results indicate that the most efficient allocations are attained in periods when joint drops in unemployment and female labour market participation (added worker effect) lead to intrahousehold specialisation. • We evaluate the relationship between PEBs and unemployment considering the intrahousehold dynamics. • We describe the PEBs by considering the interaction between economic cycle and intrahousehold time allocation. • The Intrahousehold differences in productivity represent a key assumption in proposed framework • We empirically test the theoretical model using time series techniques on recent Italian data and DEA • The results show that the most efficient allocations is linked to the intrahousehold specialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]