Workers label fish sauce bottles at a manufacturing facility in Battambang province on December 22. Kim Sarom
In Battambang town, a medium-sized facility known for its fish and chilli sauces recently found itself at the centre of a stink – literally. Fermented remnants from sauce production had permeated the air, leaving behind a pungent odour and a trail of carbon dioxide emissions.
This not only tainted the local air quality but also sparked discontent among residents, bringing community and environmental health to the forefront of local discourse.
The situation has now improved, thanks to technical knowledge acquired by the owner of the operation, Vong Sokyem, courtesy of the Cambodia Climate Change Alliance (CCCA).
The initiative – the first of its kind spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment in partnership with various NGOs – provided capital to enhance waste management in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Recently launched, the programme has revolutionised the practices that Sokyem had been employing for the past decade. Now, at her facility, all waste is processed through a sewage network before being discharged into the public sewage system.
The development has significantly mitigated the environmental impact of the facility’s operations.
Back in 2009, Sokyem benefited from a project funded by former Prime Minister Hun Sen, known as “Poverty and Migration Reduction”, which aimed to create jobs to deter people from migrating.
The programme enabled her to establish her business locally, avoiding the need to seek employment abroad.
The initiative was carried out by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, in collaboration with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Cambodia, which provided her and others with essential technical training.
However, as her business grew, so did the waste and sewage it produced, drawing the attention of the environment ministry.
Last year, the CCCA provided capital to help her improve the environmental aspects of her operation.
“The ministry emphasised the importance of enhancing our sewage management and reducing odour emissions. Initially, my business’s impact was minimal, as I was operating in isolation. But as the community around me grew, so did the imperative to address environmental concerns,” Sokyem noted.
She explained that during the production of fish sauce, her facility used firewood for boiling, which emitted considerable smoke and odour, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
She has since innovated a solution to mitigate these issues.
“I installed a motor to funnel the smoke and smell into a large tank filled with charcoal which reduced the emissions. The residual smell then disperses through a chimney, leaving only a faint odour,” she said.
She advocated for other businesses in similar industries to adopt the technique, emphasising its benefits for the environment and the well-being of the community.
“I believe that those operating similar enterprises should embrace this method to minimise their environmental impact,” she added.
Environmental stewardship
Keung Sokheng, chief of the Office of Industry and Handicraft under the Battambang provincial Department of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, emphasised that SMEs, such as the one owned by Sokyem, are crucial to Cambodia’s economy.
However, he stressed the importance of environmental stewardship amongst these businesses, hence the involvement of the environment ministry in the programme.
Sokheng noted that there are over 900 registered SMEs in the province, with more than 30 participating in the CCCA initiative, although only seven are currently executing it successfully.
“All production processes, whether manufacturing or packaging, invariably generate waste from the various raw materials used,” he said.
According to Sokheng, the programme is still in its pilot phase, leaving more than 800 SMEs in anticipation of its outcomes and further support from the CCCA, the industry ministry and other relevant departments.
“I see many benefits from the CCCA’s programme. Firstly, it helps the enterprise or shop to use less water. Secondly, it improves the environment, particularly in reducing odour. Thirdly, it enhances the safety and quality of their products,” he stated.
Sokheng underscored that the waste from Sokyem’s operations is not recyclable, and improper management could compromise product quality.
He explained that the sewage system in each participating facility involves a multi-stage setup, with tanks connected by tubes filled with sand and charcoal to filter waste. The tanks are positioned to allow wastewater to flow through gravity, with the final tanks discharging cleaner wastewater into the public system.
Khlok Vichetratha, deputy director of the climate change department, mentioned that the environment ministry has been actively conducting outreach to increase SMEs’ awareness and participation in the programme, with the overall goal of engaging more SMEs in a collective response to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
