Ecoaware Ltd, a small,environment-friendly paint company, is looking at two alternatives for disposing of an annual production of 300 kilolitres of waste paint, both of which are acceptable to the Victorian Environment Protection Authority.

Ecoaware can pay paint recyclers to remove the waste paint at a cost of $75 per kilolitre. The recycler would then process the waste into 5 kilograms of solid waste compound per kilolitre and dispose of this in landfill.

The company can rent a recycling machine that strips the residues and produces 10 kilograms of waste compound per kilolitre, which then needs to be disposed of in landfill. The annual rent of the machine is $22 500, and the operating cost is $0.45 per kilolitre.

1.Which alternative is superior on financial grounds?

2.List five environmental and social factors that Ecoaware may need to consider before selecting an alternative.

3.Are there any implications of this decision for the broader economy? Explain your answer.