Developing Sustainable Waste Management in Urban Areas: Case Study of Municipal Government Policy Strategies in Banten Indonesia

The issue of waste in Indonesia and the global world is a crucial problem, and until now, it has not been resolved effectively and has not prioritized sustainable governance. Almost all regions are experiencing a handling crisis primarily from consumer waste, such as paper, food, electronics, plastics, metals, and packaging. This research aims to develop an effective waste management policy strategy at the municipal government level in Banten Province, Indonesia. Specifically, this research examines the strategy of changing people’s behavior through the perspective of social change behavior theory and rational-legal authority. This study employed a qualitative case-study approach, incorporating field observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. The findings indicate that waste management governance in Banten Province’s urban areas should operate optimally. The increasing waste production and the behavior of urban communities that still need to sort their waste have worsened waste management in the region. Therefore, there needs to be a policy strategy for waste management through changes in community behavior, which is implemented through promotion policies, campaigns, socialization, and educational activities for the community. Then, the city government should also provide clear waste bin facilities and management and consider individual preferences and local culture in changing people’s behavior in sustainable waste management.