Reframing Sustainable Waste Governance through a Penta-Helix and Integrated Sustainable Waste Management Approach: Evidence from Lamongan

Abstract

Sustainable waste governance in developing regions is increasingly challenged by institutional fragmentation and technocratic management. This study examines waste governance in Lamongan Regency, Indonesia, through the integration of the Penta-Helix framework and Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM). Using a qualitative case study method, data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis involving 15 informants representing government institutions, academics, communities, private sectors, media, technical operators, and informal waste actors. The analysis reveals that waste management in Lamongan remains disposal-oriented, with weak source segregation, fragmented coordination, and uneven stakeholder participation. The findings further indicate that Penta-Helix collaboration remains largely formalistic, while communities and informal actors continue to occupy limited decision-making roles. This study argues that waste crises should be understood primarily as governance failures rather than merely technical deficiencies. The study proposes a Penta-Helix-Based Sustainable Waste Governance model emphasizing actor alignment, institutional resilience, and adaptive collaborative governance.