Relasi Kuasa Perkotaan: Ketimpangan Spasial Dalam Pengelolaan Sampah Kota Padang

Abstract

Waste management in Padang City reflects fundamental challenges in realizing the community’s right to a healthy environment. This study examines the distribution of sanitation services and its implications for urban justice. A qualitative approach was employed, supported by descriptive data obtained from field observations, interviews in suburban areas, and analysis of official documents. The findings indicate that waste collection services and budget allocations are concentrated in the city center and strategic zones oriented toward image-building, while suburban areas face limited facilities and restricted access. This situation illustrates a form of greenwashing that prioritizes symbolic achievements over the equitable provision of public services. The analysis highlights spatial inequality, ecological exclusion, and budgetary bias, affirming urban space as a product of power relations, consistent with Harvey’s theory of spatial justice. The study concludes that achieving urban justice requires equitable redistribution of basic services, institutional reform, and a paradigm shift in policy from image-oriented agendas toward substantive sustainability.