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Solid waste management (SWM) is an ongoing problem worldwide. As part of the GREEN Project, funded by the European Union, the research team has focused on SWM solutions for areas bordering the East Tonle Sap Lake (ETSL) in three provinces in Cambodia: Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampong Thom. This research is a foundational step in developing relevant SWM solutions for these communities and focuses on understanding the current solid waste landscape in the ETSL area, identifying relevant stakeholders and actors, and identifying areas of opportunity for SWM solutions.

Solid wastes including plastics, glass, and food waste were observed in the ETSL community. Many of these include daily consumption waste (plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic, beer cans, and cardboards) and durable waste (fishing nets, clothes, copper wires). The products generally come from the district or commune markets which are the main place selling/distributing products to households at the community level. 

Residents of the ETSL area often differentiate between saleable and non-saleable waste in their SWM practices. The saleable wastes, mostly metals and some plastics, are generally kept and sold to local waste collectors. Aluminum cans can provide a household with around 4,000-6,500 riel per kilogram while PET plastic bottles can bring in around 200-500 riel per kilogram. Some waste sits on a blurred line between saleable and non-saleable, which means they are not always accepted by the et jay (waste buyer/seller). Some et jays reject buying
plastic bottles due to low-profit margin and large waste volume. As a result, much plastic waste, including saleable plastics, is not recycled. 

Current solutions for non-saleable waste at the household level are varied depending on the geographical location. In the ETSL area, some households are in villages that never flood from the lake’s seasonal expansion, others are in villages that flood seasonally (up to six months
per year) and some are in areas that are flooded year-round (houses are floating on water). People in dry areas year-round often burn their trash in all seasons and sometimes bury it near or on their property. Households with seasonal flooding are likely to burn or bury waste in the dry season but often litter openly into the environment in the rainy season. People living in year-round flooded areas mostly choose to throw waste into the water during all seasons.

Currently there are no SWM solutions in the area that have been proven effective and scalable. Some basic incinerators have been produced by the community, but face challenges regarding waste transportation, lack of human resources, and no financial support. More technologically advanced incinerators introduced by NGOs have had challenges regarding sustainability and maintenance. Waste collection bins have been provided by an NGO to a few villages, however market access to such bins, consistent household use of them, and means for safe waste disposal remain a challenge. Households in parts of several villages near market areas have limited access to fee-based waste collection through a trash truck service, but access to this type of service is not widespread. Additionally, there are no formal landfills available, only open dumpsites with irregular means of maintenance and access.

SWM has not yet been prioritized by local authorities. While authorities at the district-level have a mandate for facilitating SWM around market areas, there is no clear focus, capacity, mandate or funding for residential SWM. However, the private sector is active in this area. Informal collectors, garbage truck owners, local and regional waste aggregators, middlemen, and recycling companies, play important roles in the flow of saleable waste.