Ministry of Environment officials have handed out more than 25 incinerators to local authorities to address short- and medium-term waste reduction in 15 provinces.
Ministry secretary of state and spokesman Neth Pheaktra, told The Post on Wednesday that delivery of the incinerators to the district authorities had been in place since 2017, and that they are technically eco-friendly and capable of burning two to seven tonnes of rubbish daily.
“The installation of a local incinerator will allow the authorities to clean the environment and they do not have to transport it for long distances,” Pheaktra said.
He also said the Ministry of Environment had provided 50 motorcycles with carts to the district authorities to transport rubbish from local areas to the incinerators. The motorcycles were a gift from the Chip Mong company.
Chip Mong chairman Leang Khun said the assistance was a contribution to improve the beauty of Phnom Penh and some provinces by reducing the amount of waste.
Pheaktra said rubbish in Cambodia currently stands at more than 10,000 tonnes per day and nearly four million tonnes a year, of which 65 per cent is organic waste, 20 per cent plastic and the rest solid waste and others.
He said only about 51 per cent of the rubbish is dumped at landfills, with the rest dumped on street corners, in water sources, or burned.
The rate of increase in Cambodia’s rubbish is around 15 per cent annually. The increased volume is due to population growth, consumer spending and packaging while the people’s behaviour has changed little in terms of waste classification and recyclables.
“The increase in the amount of solid waste from year to year is of great concern to the quality of the environment, public health and the loss of beauty in the city and district,” he said.
Pheaktra said there are still many obstacles in waste management practises in Cambodia that could cause serious effects in the future.
