Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth has called for all factories to join a pollution reduction campaign by installing automatic monitoring and data management systems for waste disposal, aiming to protect public health and benefit the enterprises.

Sophalleth made the call during the March 1 launching ceremony of the ministry’s river clean-up campaign.

“Based on this work, the environment ministry has considered and facilitated assistance for all investors in equipping automatic tracking devices and data management systems in factories and enterprises across the country,” stated a March 2 press release from the ministry.

“In accordance with the minister’s statement, companies, factories and enterprises have endorsed the measures and have asked the ministry to assist in reviewing and making the pricing of equipment installation and maintenance more accessible, thereby aligning their investment with social responsibility,” the ministry added.

The river clean-up campaign is aimed at reducing sources of water pollution to prevent health risks for Cambodians.

“Clean water is vital for sustaining life. In addition, it is crucial for the protection of aquatic biodiversity, including fish, plants and other natural resources in the water,” stated the ministry.

Ministry spokesperson Khvay Atitya explained that the campaign focuses on two primary methods for cleaning rivers: removing plastic bags from the water surface, with a focus on Tonle Sap Lake which supports around six million people, and the monitoring of factory waste.

“In this … campaign, we are assessing how many factories in Cambodia discharge water into the rivers. After thorough study, the ministry will install monitoring systems in all factories and enterprises to ensure that all discharged water is environmentally safe,” he said.

Atitya explained that to effectively reduce plastic entering the lake, the first action would be to clean the canals, as they are the major channels through which garbage and plastics are transported into the lake.