Cambodia & Environment: 1,260 kilogrammes of waste collected on riverside streets for World Cleanup Day 2024

As part of Cambodia's celebration of World Cleanup Day on 21 August under the theme "Clean Cambodia, We Can!", around 700 people, including citizens, students, waste collectors and representatives from various institutions, took part in a massive clean-up along the capital's riverside.

KOICA volunteers collecting waste. Photo supplied

The amount of waste in Phnom Penh has tripled to 3,500 tonnes per day, and in response to this increase, the Ministry of Environment plans to launch a campaign to promote waste separation in order to achieve a plastic bag-free Cambodia by the end of 2025.

The event, presided over by Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth and South Korean Ambassador to Cambodia Park Jung-wook, allowed to collect more than one tonne of solid waste, equivalent to a reduction of 189 kilograms of carbon, according to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Cambodia.

During the clean-up, the Minister of Environment said that waste management has already been delegated to the local level, with many waste collection companies now operating effectively across the Kingdom. In Phnom Penh, three such companies – 800 Super, Mizuda Group Co Ltd, and CINTRI – are currently under contract.

Mr Sophalleth added that in addition to public awareness campaigns, the ministry would be pushing ahead with a new campaign focusing on waste segregation, particularly the separation of plastic bags from general waste.

He expressed confidence that by the end of 2025, about 80 % of the population will be involved in a commitment to avoid using plastic bags. He highlighted the success of the “Today, I Do Not Use Plastic” campaign, which has engaged over 9.6 million people, including 3.6 million students nationwide.

“Our campaign has reached over half of our population,” he said, noting 71.4% reduction in plastic bag imports.

There are more than 200 landfills across the country, including 142 state-owned sites and 70 private sites. Currently the generation of waste is growing at a rate of 10% to 12% annually.

On water quality, he noted that the ministry has also focused on monitoring water quality to ensure that water sources remain clean. The ministry is urging all factories and enterprises to install automatic water quality monitoring devices to ensure that the water they discharge is clean and does not pollute natural water sources or endanger public health.