Cambodia, 14-15 November 2022: ERIA, as part of support for Cambodia's Chairmanship of ASEAN, and in collaboration with Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, has held a Clean Up Day youth engagement event in two high schools in Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum Provinces, Cambodia.
The aim was to build awareness among high school students about the harmful impact of plastic pollution on the environment and health, and to strengthen cooperation between the national and provincial authorities in addressing plastic waste issues in the country.
On the Clean Up Day at the Hun Sen Oreang Ov High School, Tboung Khmum Province, H E Eang Sophalleth, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia, in his opening remarks encouraged the students to learn from good practices in other countries.
‘Use your social media to learn how other countries solve this issue. In Japan, for example, they also use plastics, but we don’t see plastic litter on the streets as we see here. How do they manage it?’ he told 500 high school students who participated in the event. He also urged them to be agents of change in their respective communities.
‘We all can be the driving force to clean and protect our environment. It starts with you. You lead by example, not only for your friends and family but also for the wider community. Spread the knowledge wherever you go,’ he said.
H E Ngin Lina, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Policy and Strategy at the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, in her opening remarks at the Clean Up Day at Preah Sihanouk High School, Kampong Cham Province, asked the more than 200 participating students to reflect on their habit of using single-use plastics. She then outlined the impact of plastic pollution on the environment and the examples of refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, rethink (6R) practices they can carry out.
‘You probably will not remember everything we talk about today. But if you can remember at least one R out of the six Rs we just discussed, and practice that one R daily, it is already a great way to start,’ she said.
She also highlighted the significance of youth’s role in addressing the alarming issue.
‘You play an important role in reducing plastic waste. It starts from you, from your school, from your house.’
She also spoke of the forthcoming revision of the Sub-Decree No 113 on Solid Waste Management which adds local authority responsibilities, as well as ERIA’s support and commitment to engage the young generation of Cambodia as part of the ASEAN+3 collective efforts to address marine plastic pollution.
Before closing their remarks, H E Eang Sophalleth and H E Ngin Lina conducted a quiz related to plastic waste issues with reusable water bottles as the prizes. The students enthusiastically answered the questions and expressed their opinions on the topic.
After the ceremony, students from both schools participated in the clean-up picking up plastic waste. Some cleaned around the school, while the rest went to the nearby market and other public spaces. In less than two hours, their trash bags were full of plastic waste. They then headed back to school for collective disposal, where the waste was collected by garbage trucks managed by the local authority then sent to the landfill.
Ms Ayako Mizuno, Programme Manager of ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (the Centre), expressed her hope that the Clean Up Day could stimulate the participants to take part in preventing marine plastic pollution.
‘ERIA’s Regional Knowledge Centre works with the region’s policy makers, international organisations, as well as research and educational institutions. Engaging students in ASEAN+3 countries is an important on-going activity of the Centre. We are honoured to partner with the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia on this crucial undertaking to engage the public, communities, and, most importantly, the youth in the efforts to prevent and minimise plastic pollution,’ she said.
Photo: Students of Hun Sen Oreang Ov High School, Tboung Khmum Province, who participated in the clean-up day.
Knowledge Management Associate
Cambodia, 14-15 November 2022: ERIA, as part of support for Cambodia's Chairmanship of ASEAN, and in collaboration with Cambodia's Ministry of Environment, has held a Clean Up Day youth engagement event in two high schools in Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum Provinces, Cambodia.
The aim was to build awareness among high school students about the harmful impact of plastic pollution on the environment and health, and to strengthen cooperation between the national and provincial authorities in addressing plastic waste issues in the country.
On the Clean Up Day at the Hun Sen Oreang Ov High School, Tboung Khmum Province, H E Eang Sophalleth, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia, in his opening remarks encouraged the students to learn from good practices in other countries.
‘Use your social media to learn how other countries solve this issue. In Japan, for example, they also use plastics, but we don’t see plastic litter on the streets as we see here. How do they manage it?’ he told 500 high school students who participated in the event. He also urged them to be agents of change in their respective communities.
‘We all can be the driving force to clean and protect our environment. It starts with you. You lead by example, not only for your friends and family but also for the wider community. Spread the knowledge wherever you go,’ he said.
H E Ngin Lina, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Policy and Strategy at the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, in her opening remarks at the Clean Up Day at Preah Sihanouk High School, Kampong Cham Province, asked the more than 200 participating students to reflect on their habit of using single-use plastics. She then outlined the impact of plastic pollution on the environment and the examples of refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, rethink (6R) practices they can carry out.
‘You probably will not remember everything we talk about today. But if you can remember at least one R out of the six Rs we just discussed, and practice that one R daily, it is already a great way to start,’ she said.
She also highlighted the significance of youth’s role in addressing the alarming issue.
‘You play an important role in reducing plastic waste. It starts from you, from your school, from your house.’
She also spoke of the forthcoming revision of the Sub-Decree No 113 on Solid Waste Management which adds local authority responsibilities, as well as ERIA’s support and commitment to engage the young generation of Cambodia as part of the ASEAN+3 collective efforts to address marine plastic pollution.
Before closing their remarks, H E Eang Sophalleth and H E Ngin Lina conducted a quiz related to plastic waste issues with reusable water bottles as the prizes. The students enthusiastically answered the questions and expressed their opinions on the topic.
After the ceremony, students from both schools participated in the clean-up picking up plastic waste. Some cleaned around the school, while the rest went to the nearby market and other public spaces. In less than two hours, their trash bags were full of plastic waste. They then headed back to school for collective disposal, where the waste was collected by garbage trucks managed by the local authority then sent to the landfill.
Ms Ayako Mizuno, Programme Manager of ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (the Centre), expressed her hope that the Clean Up Day could stimulate the participants to take part in preventing marine plastic pollution.
‘ERIA’s Regional Knowledge Centre works with the region’s policy makers, international organisations, as well as research and educational institutions. Engaging students in ASEAN+3 countries is an important on-going activity of the Centre. We are honoured to partner with the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia on this crucial undertaking to engage the public, communities, and, most importantly, the youth in the efforts to prevent and minimise plastic pollution,’ she said.
Photo: Students of Hun Sen Oreang Ov High School, Tboung Khmum Province, who participated in the clean-up day.
Knowledge Management Associate
