Cambodia, 27 Oct, 2022: ERIA and Cambodia's Ministry of Environment jointly held events to launch the Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Remind (5R) Programme as part of the Workshop on Zero Plastic Waste for Public and Private Sectors and Communities. There was also a visit to the Community Protected Area of Peam Krasoap Wildlife Sanctuary, Koh Kong, Cambodia.
Around 105 junior high school students gathered for the launch of the 5R programme to optimise the reduction of plastic pollution. Two large sign boards were placed in front of their school in the city centre – one concerning the 5R programme, and the other on fines for plastic litter.
H E Ngin Lina, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Policy and Strategy at the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, told students they needed to be aware of the issue of plastic pollution.
‘The students must become the role models for their families and friends to reduce the plastic waste,’ she said.
Mr Fusanori Iwasaki, ERIA Director of Policy Research, thanked the ministry for organising the launch, adding that he hoped the programme would raise public awareness on plastic waste reduction.
The activities continued with a site visit to the Community Protected Area of Peam Krasoap Wildlife Sanctuary, which was generally clean and very-well managed – although there was some plastic waste floating in the ocean.
An officer at the sanctuary said the floating plastic came from one island village where only 10 families still live, and that given the lack of utilities and without proper waste management they litter the sea. The issue of floating plastic waste in the area is also related to the fact that the people struggle to find jobs in the city.
'They have no choice. It is very difficult to find jobs in the city, so they left their families and choose to stay here to make money. Looking at the condition of their houses, I perceive that they earn only a little,' he said, adding that the government was trying to move the remaining families to the city and provide them with proper land to live on.
Research Associate
Cambodia, 27 Oct, 2022: ERIA and Cambodia's Ministry of Environment jointly held events to launch the Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Remind (5R) Programme as part of the Workshop on Zero Plastic Waste for Public and Private Sectors and Communities. There was also a visit to the Community Protected Area of Peam Krasoap Wildlife Sanctuary, Koh Kong, Cambodia.
Around 105 junior high school students gathered for the launch of the 5R programme to optimise the reduction of plastic pollution. Two large sign boards were placed in front of their school in the city centre – one concerning the 5R programme, and the other on fines for plastic litter.
H E Ngin Lina, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Policy and Strategy at the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, told students they needed to be aware of the issue of plastic pollution.
‘The students must become the role models for their families and friends to reduce the plastic waste,’ she said.
Mr Fusanori Iwasaki, ERIA Director of Policy Research, thanked the ministry for organising the launch, adding that he hoped the programme would raise public awareness on plastic waste reduction.
The activities continued with a site visit to the Community Protected Area of Peam Krasoap Wildlife Sanctuary, which was generally clean and very-well managed – although there was some plastic waste floating in the ocean.
An officer at the sanctuary said the floating plastic came from one island village where only 10 families still live, and that given the lack of utilities and without proper waste management they litter the sea. The issue of floating plastic waste in the area is also related to the fact that the people struggle to find jobs in the city.
'They have no choice. It is very difficult to find jobs in the city, so they left their families and choose to stay here to make money. Looking at the condition of their houses, I perceive that they earn only a little,' he said, adding that the government was trying to move the remaining families to the city and provide them with proper land to live on.
Research Associate
