Three firms have been choosen to collect rubbish throughout the capital. Hean Rangsey
The Phnom Penh Municipal Hall is set to launch revamped solid waste collection and transportation services in early February next year, an official said.
Nuon Samnavuth, the municipal hall’s Solid Waste Management Authority, told The Post on December 1 that an agreement will be signed with three companies, which were successful in the bid to provide solid waste collection and transportation services in mid-December.
He said that after signing the agreement, the three firms will start their operations at designated areas in the capital starting February 1.
Samnavuth did not reveal the name of the three companies, saying only that they were selected from 20 bidders that had joined the auction process.
“Companies selection has reached second stage. They proposed the price and then we considered it and evaluated the techniques and conditions to determine if they meet our requirements,” said Samnavuth.
On October 22, last year, Prime Minister Hun Sen decided to withdraw the right in collecting rubbish from Cintri (Cambodia) Ltd, the company that was given the exclusive right to provide solid waste collection and transportation services in Phnom Penh.
As Cintri does not have the ability to provide proper rubbish collection service, Hun Sen decided to appoint the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration as a temporary caretaker of rubbish collection until new firms are appointed to provide the services.
At that moment, the municipal hall decided to divide rubbish collection in Phnom Penh to three zones.
Affiliated Network for Social Accountability (Ansa) executive director San Chey said this is a new form of competition.
“If there are truly three companies, it is a form of competition in providing services. Competition leads to great benefits. When service providers compete with one another, people who receive services will benefit from it,” he said.
According to a Ministry of Environment report published at the end of last year, there were over 10,000 tonnes of rubbish produced daily in Cambodia, including 3,000 tonnes in Phnom Penh per day.
In total, Cambodia produces nearly four million tonnes of rubbish per year, including 65 per cent of organic wastes, 20 per cent of plastic wastes and the remaining are solid and other waste.
