Emerging Markets: Digitalization of Community Waste Banks in Padang City, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Padang City relies heavily on community-based waste banks (Bank Sampah) as decentralized units for waste segregation, recycling, and household engagement. These waste banks play a critical role by promoting waste segregation at source; providing economic incentives for households; acting as intermediaries between communities and recyclers. However, most waste banks continue to operate with manual bookkeeping systems, resulting in limited traceability of material flows, high administrative burdens for operators, and weak evidence for policy planning. Digitalization offers a significant opportunity to strengthen waste banks as key nodes in the circular economy and improve urban waste governance.