Disposable Face-Mask Waste Management and Assessment Through Willingness to Pay and SWOT Framework in Post COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Disposable masks are widely used during the pandemic and post-pandemic as self-protection from COVID-19. Due to this, a mask waste disposal problem has happened throughout the world, impacting the environment through pollution. Disposable waste management using the Willingness to Pay (WTP) system can be a mitigation effort. The study was conducted using an online cross-sectional questionnaire which was analyzed using the Spearman method and the SPSS cross tab descriptive analysis technique. The results of the study found that there is a positive correlation in the community's approval for the management of mask waste with the WTP response, which had a negative impact on the environment. However, it is negatively correlated with the amount of budget issued by the community with WTP. A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) study was proposed to evaluate the proposed WTP of the waste management system, finding that it is important to educate the public about the negative impacts. Therefore, WTP can be applied in the management of mask waste because it has advantages in waste management on a small to large scale.