The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration has appealed to all residents of the capital to keep rubbish at their homes and to not dispose of it in public during this weeks’ Khmer New Year holiday, as waste removal services will be limited.
Phnom Penh municipal governor Khuong Sreng notified capital dwellers of the plan on April 8.
“Over the coming Khmer New Year holiday, waste collection and transportation in Phnom Penh will not be carried out on the three days of April 14 to 16, as rubbish collectors will also be celebrating the occasion,” he said.
Three companies – 800 Super GAEA, Mizuda Sanitation and Citri/Everbright – secured the contracts to collect waste in Phnom Penh and are each responsible for different districts.
“In order to participate in maintaining the hygiene, environment and beauty of Phnom Penh, the municipal administration appeals to the homeowners in the capital to not dispose of their rubbish in public until full service is resumed. Please keep it temporarily in your homes,” Sreng added.
He said he hoped that the public would cooperate and contribute to environmental hygiene in Phnom Penh.
Chuon Linda, a resident of Dangkor district, said that over the three days of the holiday there will be a lot of rubbish generated, so he hopes the collection service will be especially efficient after the New Year.
“Most people bag their rubbish tidily in front of their homes, but scavengers often tear the sacks and create a mess,” he added.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Phnom Penh produces between 2,700 and 3,000 tonnes of rubbish per day – its share of the Kingdom’s daily total of over 10,000 tonnes. In total, about four million tonnes is generated annually.
