Efektivitas Pengelolaan Sampah Melalui Program Bank Sampah Di Dinas Lingkungan Hidup Kota Binjai

Abstract

Waste management remains a critical issue in Indonesia due to the high volume of waste generation that has not been balanced by an effective and sustainable management system. According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF), approximately 60% of the country’s waste still ends up in final disposal sites without prior sorting. A similar condition occurs in Binjai City, where the waste management system has not been able to reduce the increasing household waste, reaching hundreds of tons per day. Low public awareness of waste separation, weak institutional coordination, and limited regional funding are the main obstacles to achieving effective waste management. To address these challenges, the Binjai City Government through the Environmental Agency developed the Bank Sampah (Waste Bank) program as an implementation of the 3R principles—reduce, reuse, and recycle—by involving active community participation. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Bank Sampah program in Binjai City using Campbell’s theory of effectiveness, which emphasizes three key indicators: program success, target achievement, and goal attainment. A descriptive qualitative method was employed, with data collected through observation, in-depth interviews with the Environmental Agency, Bank Sampah managers, and the community, as well as field documentation. Data were analyzed inductively to assess the extent to which the program has been implemented according to its design and contributed tangible impacts on local waste management. The results reveal that although the Bank Sampah program has introduced several innovations—such as school-based socialization, Car Free Day activities, and the MySmash digital platform—its effectiveness remains suboptimal. Public participation is still low due to limited awareness of waste sorting and unstable economic incentives. Institutional capacity is weak, with only three active waste banks and minimal operational funding (around IDR 2.9–3.3 million per year). The program currently diverts only about 1.17% of the city’s daily waste generation, indicating minimal contribution to waste reduction. Therefore, the effectiveness of the Bank Sampah program in Binjai City is categorized as not yet optimal and requires strengthening in terms of budget, institutional capacity, and integration into the circular economy framework to ensure sustainability and tangible environmental and social benefits.