Hypothetical scenarios for circular bioeconomy preferences in the Bali metropolitan area

• The research examines residents’ attitudes towards different waste management practices. • Importance of waste management based on community input to align with local values and time availability. • Findings reveal strong community support for innovative and advance waste management methods. • Involving the community in planning and implementing waste management initiatives to ensure success. • Demonstrates active participation value in circular bioeconomy initiatives more essential than financial value. This study investigates the preferences and willingness of residents, including local and foreign residents, in the Bali metropolitan area to participate in various waste management initiatives aimed at promoting a circular bioeconomy. Bali, a major tourist center in the Global South, presents unique challenges and opportunities for sustainable waste management. Using a choice experiment framework, we explored preferences for managing paper, food, and garden waste through different scenarios. Scenario 1 focused on collecting and separating waste to support existing infrastructure, Scenario 2 emphasized source reduction and participation, and Scenario 3 integrated a comprehensive circular economy approach. The study reveals significant support for comprehensive waste management practices, with high marginal willingness to participate values for initiatives such as collecting and processing paper waste for energy conversion, independent composting of food waste, and community-based composting of garden waste. These findings highlight the importance of community engagement and tailored strategies in developing sustainable waste management programs. The results provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to design effective circular bioeconomy policies that enhance local economic self-sufficiency and contribute to sustainable development goals.