Private companies can also raise capital more easily than local governments, without the use of unpopular taxes to raise revenue. Finally, private landfills are held to a higher standard of environmental regulations than local governments. And municipal and county contracts hold landfill operating companies accountable for inadequate performance. By privatizing operations, government officials become consumers, shopping around for the best price and service. Contracts set service and performance standards, often giving them more control than they typically have over their civil-service employees.
Privatization also helps cities cut costs, eliminate debts, and reduce their risk of liability.
All of these conditions created fertile ground for the privatization revolution we are now witnessing. Despite the many benefits of landfill privatization, the revolution is not without critics. Eventually flow control was struck down by the Supreme Court the trash trade was protected by the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Even so, several governors from trash-importing states are lobbying Congress to implement a new version of flow control, which would limit the 'flow' of trash across state lines. Virginia Governor, James Gilmore, is leading the charge for flow control.