- Posted on: October 30, 2023
Exploring Business Opportunites for European Companies in Cambodia’s Waste Sector
From October 22-28, 2023, a delegation of nine German and European company representatives embarked on a one-week trade mission to Cambodia, organized by EuroCham Cambodia, German Business Cambodia, and the Business Scouts for Development Programme by German Development Agency GIZ.
Following the theme “Opportunities in Waste Management and Resource Recovery”, the nine private sector delegates met with high-ranking political leaders and private local waste management companies, while also visiting various landfills and waste management sites across the country. The delegation engaged with Minister of Environment H.E. Eang Sophalleth, the Governor of Banteay Meanchey Province H.E. Oum Reatrey, as well as the Deputy Governors of Battambang and Siem Reap, to name a few political representatives.
“The trade mission about waste management gave us the opportunity to understand more about the challenges and chances in this industry segment in Cambodia and to have an open exchange with stakeholders from the government and the private sector. Thank you once again to the organizers and participants during the numerous meetings in Phnom Penh, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap!”
During their exploration of the local private sector in waste management, the mostly German delegates examined the premises of waste collectors CINTRI and 800 SUPER-GAEA, visited GOMI Recycle in the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone, and learned more about waste co-processing from Chip Mong Ecocyle. Throughout the visit – and especially during a workshop with ca. 60 attendees from the local waste sector – the delegates also promoted their products and services for the Cambodian market.
The lack of waste segregation at household level, difficulties in waste fee collection, as well as the lack of waste processing and recycling facilities were some of the key issues raised by local stakeholders throughout the trip. Consequently, most of Cambodia’s municipal solid waste – including high percentages of food waste – ends up mixed together in local landfills, though only ca. 65% of all generated waste in the country is currently collected. German know-how and technology can play a vital role in upgrading Cambodia’s waste management regime, provided funding can be secured, e.g. through loans from World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).
