In a paper published last year Messrs Fullerton and Kinnaman concentrated on the effects of one such scheme introduced in July 1992 in Charlottesville Virginia a town of about 40000 people Residents were charged 80 cents for each tagged bag of rubbish This may sound like sensible use of market forces In fact the authors conclude the schemes benefits did not cover the cost of printing materials the commissions to sellers and the wages of the people running the scheme