PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Environment said that the government’s campaigns, regulations and policies on waste disposal and reducing plastic over recent years have resulted in a positive change in public attitudes and behaviors.

The Ministry pointed out, however, that littering remains a problem and can be seen in the amount of garbage on the streets and in the sewage system, where waste management is still limited. On the other hand, people are more mindful of how to clean, collect and sort trash by participating in waste management campaigns.

Since a portion of the population is still not educated on proper waste disposal, the Ministry of Environment began the “Today I Will Not Use Plastic Bags” campaign to reduce the use of plastic on September 1. The first phase of the campaign targets schools while the ministry hopes to expand it to other organizations.

Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth says cleanliness and public health is a priority of the new administration, which hopes to put an end to plastic waste to ensure clean communities and natural resources for the next generation. He asked the public to take responsibility for their waste disposal by sorting it and storing it properly. He also called on all citizens to stop littering in public places and to implement the 4Rs (refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle).

It should be noted that according to a report from the Ministry of Environment, Cambodia’s large cities produce an average of 3,000 tons of garbage per day, with only 20% of the waste being recycled. It said that the average person in Phnom Penh uses five plastic bags per day, which adds up to about 57 daily tons of plastic bags for the city. It said that across the country, 56 million plastic bags are used every day, totalling 279 tons.