The Effect of Working from Home on Waste Behaviors

We evaluate the effect of working from home on waste generated by individuals both at and away from their homes. To this end, we collect a unique dataset that matches administrative household-level waste data from Sweden with survey data on how many hours individuals work from home. A novel identification approach allows us to link waste generated away from home to the choice of work location. Our results suggest that working from home reduces organic and residual waste by 20% and 12%, respectively