Phnom Penh – The Department of Media and Communication (DMC) kicked off a zero-plastic campaign aimed at reducing the amount of plastic waste on the college’s campus, which is located inside the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
Starting March 18, 2024, a fine of 1,000 riels will go into effective for every single-use plastic item caught in the possession of students or faculty staff members present on the campus, said a statement released by DMC on March 6.
“The objective of the Plastic-Free Campus Initiative is to establish a sustainable and eco-friendly environment on our campus by implementing measures to reduce single-use plastic consumption and waste,” it said.
The sweeping measures and fine will be applied against plastic bags, utensils, cups, cup lids, straws, food containers water bottles made from plastic, and other single-use plastic items. The statement also added that the computer lab, classrooms, library, meeting rooms, TV and audio studio, and other facilities on the college’s campus will also be off-limits to single-use plastics.
It urged students, lecturers, and staff members to play their part “in making DMC a sustainable and eco-friendly campus” by using “eco-friendly products as the replacement” instead. “Your cooperation … will play a significant role in the implementation of the Plastic-Free Campus Initiative in the department,” it said.
The DMC’s campaign is seen as a small but important step in the larger efforts to tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution in Cambodia.
It is estimated that, in Phnom Penh alone, around 10 million plastic bags are used every day, which is 10 times higher than average consumption in the European Union and China, according to a report by SEA Circular, a regional initiative supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
