To improve the beauty and hygiene of the environment in Kampong Thom province, the provincial administration has established a new landfill for use by the public of Kampong Svay district and Stung Sen town. The landfill covers more than 19ha.
While addressing a February 14 press conference on the achievements of the administration over the past five years, provincial governor Nguon Rattanak reiterated the importance of enhancing the aesthetics of the province through environmental management.
“Through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Kampong Thom has completed an international standard landfill. The landfill will meet the needs of the residents around it until 2050,” he said.
The provincial and district administrations are examining the possibility of additional landfills in seven other districts, as the challenge of dealing with waste has become a serious focus.
“Originally, we never thought about waste management, but the advent of modern foods and technology has created much more garbage. This waste affects the environment around us all,” he added.
According to a report by the Kampong Thom Provincial Administration, through the use of finance from the Asian Development Bank, the administration is preparing a sewage system and treatment plant, as well as drains which will handle heavy rainfall and alleviate flooding. The new system is almost 95 per cent complete.
The project is being implemented in three communes of Stung Sen town, and will be officially inaugurated later this year.
Rattanak said the separation of sewage and rainwater was one of the main advantages of the new infrastructure. Previously, the town had just one system, which was unable to handle the management of both.
“This will improve the daily lives of many people living in the town,” he added.
At the 11th Asia-Pacific Forum on 3R and the Circular Economy, which was held on February 9, Ministry of Environment spokesman Neth Pheaktra called on investors to invest in local recycling projects to reduce waste and clean up the Kingdom’s environment. The government has introduced incentives for private companies to enter this growing market.
“Waste recycling is an important and difficult task. The ministry and the government want to encourage increased investment in this challenging sector,” he said.
