Smoke from a kiln burning industrial waste from a garment factory in Phnom Penh in the recent past. FB
The burning of forests, fabric scraps and various types of industrial waste continues unabated across the Kingdom, warned authorities and NGOs. The smoke from these fires has significant environmental and public health impacts, in spite of directives banning such activities being issued.
Chea Hean, director of the NGO Anti-Corruption, Natural Resource Protection and Civil Rights Protection (ACNCIPO), noted that such practices, including burning forest areas, rice stubble and industrial waste during the dry season, remain common occurrences every year, regardless of prohibitions issued by the Ministry of Environment and related institutions.
“The burning of fabric scraps is still ongoing. Stricter legal measures are needed because it affects public health and the environment. Forest burning in protected areas is also continuing. Compliance with the directives remains limited,” he told The Post on January 21.
In addition to forest fire prevention measures, the environment ministry recently issued a January 17 directive which prohibits the burning of fabric scraps and all types of industrial waste in open fires, furnaces or brick kilns.
The ministry explained that using fires without air pollution control systems to burn scraps of fabric, leather or other industrial byproducts, such as those from shoe and bag production, releases pollutants into the atmosphere.
This practice violates the technical standards specified in Sub-Decree No. 42 on Air Pollution and Noise Disturbance Control, as well as the Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management Law, leading to changes in air quality that harm public health and the environment.
The ministry instructed all companies, factories and enterprises to “immediately cease the burning of fabric scraps and all types of industrial waste in open kilns, furnaces or brick kilns without proper air pollution control systems in compliance with technical standards”.
Businesses must install air pollution control systems to ensure emissions comply with established standards.
The ministry warned that any operation which is found to be continuing these practices would face legal action, without exception.
Additionally, the ministry vowed to take legal measures against anyone involved in deforestation, forest burning or the illegal occupation of burned forest lands, as stipulated in Chapter 3, Article 849 of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management Code.
Negligence or failure to take precautions resulting in forest fires or land fires can result in penalties ranging from one month to one year in prison and fines of 10 million to 100 million riel ($2,500 to $25.000).
Article 851 further states that setting intentional forest fires could result in imprisonment of from five to ten years for the individuals responsible.
Moreover, Article 43 of Sub-Decree No. 27, on Urban Solid Waste Management, states that individuals who burn solid waste in public areas, streets, fields, private properties or places prohibited by municipal or district authorities can face fines ranging from 50,000 riels to 1 million riel ($12.50 to $250). They will also be responsible for cleaning the site and transporting the waste to an appropriate disposal site.
