Psycho-social conditions of urban communities in the complexity of waste management: Are awareness and waste banks the main solution?

Abstract

Waste management in urban areas is a critical issue in developing countries. As an environmental awareness emergency country, Indonesia faces significant waste production, particularly in its third-largest metropolis, Bandung. With the majority of its population utilizing cell phones or computers, the city has generated approximately 1500 tons of waste per day in 2022. Even though Bandung is one of the big cities in Indonesia, a staggering 54.7% of the total waste finds its way to landfills, exerting adverse impacts on the economic, social, and public health sectors. The government has pursued remedies through initiatives such as waste banks, collection services, and public education through social media. However, when delving into the intricacies of waste management, the psycho-social conditions of the community should be considered, which are often characterized by an ethos of tireless work, colloquially referred to as “crazy to work” or “hustle culture.” Consequently, waste, including its associated health risks, may be perceived as a marginal concern.This research assessed public environmental awareness and the willingness to contribute to diverse waste management endeavors financially. Such endeavors may be in household waste collection or the establishment of government-operated facilities, such as waste banks and waste collection services within the psycho-social conditions of urban communities. By employing a quantitative approach, the study surveyed 74 heads of urban households in Bandung using convenience sampling techniques and analyzed the data using SPSS tools to address the formulated hypotheses. Results demonstrate the effect of household waste management practices on the environmental awareness of urban communities. Nevertheless, the influence of waste management services, the perspectives of waste bank management, or concerns about infectious waste–related diseases on the environmental awareness of urban communities are generally not substantiated. However, the latter two aspects exert an influence on the community's inclination to support waste collection services financially. In sum, this study suggests that cultural and knowledge factors in Bandung may impede progress in the environmental sector. Therefore, recommendations encompass stringent environmental policies and laws, technological integration, and subsidies for waste reduction efforts in Indonesia's urban waste management practices.