Local waste management initiatives could reduce illegal dumping in Indonesian coastal villages

A study of Kampung Nipah, a coastal tourism hamlet in North Sumatra, found that illegal dumping stems from inadequate infrastructure, cultural practices, and weak collective responsibility. The researchers propose a community-based waste management model led by local champions working with tourism managers and stakeholders. This approach may offer a template for other rural coastal tourism areas with limited public services.

The study employed ethnographic fieldwork to examine how everyday social behaviors and institutional gaps shape waste problems in Kampung Nipah. Researchers found that municipal collection services do not reach the hamlet, while waste from residents, tourists, and rivers accumulates along the coast. Cultural habits and weak collective responsibility compound the infrastructure deficit, with no single institution accountable for waste across the wider village.

The proposed solution centers on "local champions"—residents who take active leadership roles—working alongside tourism managers and stakeholders to establish community-governed waste institutions. Though the research examines a single location, the authors suggest the model could transfer to other rural coastal tourism destinations facing similar public service limitations.