TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose This paper examines how accounting concepts were utilised in domestic waste collection services in Ireland over the past two decades or so. In comparison to other former “free” services in the Irish context, the prevalence of accounting concepts has been greater and delivered a more successful outcome.Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the concepts of calculation, the “economic” and economization, events around domestic waste policy in Ireland are examined, and the increasing prevalence of concepts such as price, cost and profitability in these processes are a focal point. Publicly available documents such as government policy documents, parliamentary records and media reports are utilised to draw out these concepts. The period of analysis is 1996–2018.Findings The findings reveal the role of accounting concepts in the economization of domestic waste policy in Ireland. The result of the economization process was a fully privatised, profit-oriented, price-monitored system.Research limitations/implications This research provides a broad view of accounting concepts in the management of domestic waste. It highlights how waste policy in Ireland travelled through instances of being political and economic over time. The research is limited by its use of secondary data.Originality/value This study highlights how accounting concepts were used in varying ways to bring about a satisfactory solution to domestic waste disposal in Ireland, namely the privatisation of waste services.
VL  - 33
IS  - 8
SN  - 0951-3574
DO  - 10.1108/AAAJ-06-2019-4041
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-06-2019-4041
AU  - Quinn Martin
AU  - Feeney Orla
PY  - 2020
Y1  - 2020/01/01
TI  - Domestic waste policy in Ireland – economization and the role of accounting
T2  - Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 2111
EP  - 2138
Y2  - 2024/04/20
ER  -