Community Participation in Household Waste Management through the Reduce, Sort, and Utilize Program in Bandung City, Indonesia

Abstract

Household waste management increasingly requires active community involvement because source-based reduction cannot rely solely on municipal collection and disposal systems. This study analyzes and compares community participation in household waste management through Bandung City's Kang Pisman (Reduce, Sort, and Utilize) Program in Sukasari and Cicendo Districts in 2024. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed using observation, interviews, and documentation. The analysis applies Cohen and Uphoff's participation framework encompassing decision-making, implementation, benefit-taking, and evaluation. The findings reveal substantial differences between the two districts. Household participation in waste sorting reached 67% in Sukasari but only 12% in Cicendo. Sukasari generated 4,353,038 kg of waste with an average reduction rate of 53.10%, whereas Cicendo generated 9,084,476 kg with an average reduction rate of only 4.60%. In both districts, initial program decisions remained predominantly top-down, while participation became stronger during operational implementation through neighborhood associations, PKK groups, youth organizations, waste banks, and other local organizations. Sukasari demonstrated stronger local initiative and adaptive implementation than Cicendo. Material, social, and personal benefits were evident in both areas, although their distribution remained uneven. Participation in evaluation was predominantly informal and indirect through neighborhood communication, WhatsApp groups, and social media rather than institutionalized evaluation forums. The study concludes that sustainable household waste management depends not merely on operational community involvement but on institutionalizing participation across the entire policy cycle, particularly in decision-making and evaluation.