The competitiveness of recycled products and the recovery of secondary raw materials from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Antsirabe

In Antsirabe (Madagascar), secondary raw materials are abundant but underutilised. The market value of secondary raw materials depends indirectly on the demand for recycled end products, which is itself influenced by their competitiveness (price and quality) compared with products made from virgin materials. This study aims to determine, for each category of recycled product, the optimal level of competitiveness (relative price and perceived quality) that maximises local demand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 450 consumers, retailers and recyclers in Antsirabe. Four product categories were analysed (plastic clothes pegs, aluminium cooking pots, recycled construction steel, and compost). A quadratic regression model, estimated using ordinary least squares, was used for each category, with a composite competitiveness index as the explanatory variable and income as the control variable. 
The results confirm a non-linear relationship in the shape of an inverted U. The optimal competitiveness indices are: 2.14 for clothes pegs (R² = 0.57), 1.57 for saucepans (R² = 0.93), 2.00 for construction rebar (R² = 0.59) and 3.41 for compost (R² = 0.99). The revenue variable is significant only for compost. Each category of recycled product has a specific competitiveness optimum that maximises its demand. These results provide operational targets for recyclers and public decision-makers to enhance the recovery of secondary raw materials in Antsirabe.