Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Environment launched a campaign aimed at reducing plastic use under the theme “Today I Will Not Use Plastic Bags” on September 1, 2023. To date, nearly 10 million participants have engaged in this initiative, which includes 12,199 schools, 151,187 teachers, 3,762,819 students, 31,649 monks from 1,485 temples, 85,371 civil servants, and 5,675,748 workers and citizens. This campaign, which began in schools—identified as foundational social settings—has reportedly led to a reduction of approximately 30 million plastic bags used each day.
In addition to the first campaign, the Ministry of Environment initiated a second effort, titled the “Clean Cambodia, Khmer Can Do It” campaign, on May 15, 2024. So far, this campaign has seen participation from 5,060,369 individuals, including 5,951 schools (about 47.05%), 85,149 teachers (53.84%), 3,375,510 students (89.30%), 31,246 monks from 1,523 temples, 56,707 civil servants, and 1,511,752 citizens, workers, and employees. The “Clean Cambodia, Khmer Can Do It” campaign encourages students, teachers, monks, local authorities, and citizens to participate in weekly trash cleanup events around homes, schools, temples, and public areas.
Khwai Atthia, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, emphasized that these two campaigns have received overwhelming support, with over 14 million participants committed to reducing plastic use and collecting litter. This engagement has exceeded expectations and signifies a collective effort from citizens, government leaders, civil servants, and community groups to mitigate plastic waste and littering in Cambodia.
The Ministry of Environment has also announced the upcoming launch of a national road cleaning campaign titled “National Roads Without Plastic Waste,” which will commence on January 1, 2025. This initiative follows significant participation from various stakeholders, including leaders, local authorities, and citizens, in recent street cleaning efforts. The campaign aims to ensure that national roads are clean and free from garbage and plastic waste, enhancing the attractiveness and hygiene of cities and towns. Such efforts are expected to improve living conditions and attract both investors and tourists to Cambodia.
Atthia noted that the implementation of these strategies aligns with the “Cleanliness” pillar of the Environmental Sector Chakra Strategy, aimed at keeping Cambodia clean and free of waste. The goal is to foster a self-sustaining movement that addresses littering, reduces plastic bag usage, and promotes environmental health through improved aesthetics in communities and public spaces. This commitment is expected to cultivate a culture of cleanliness and good habits among the Cambodian people.
