The Ministry of Environment is planning to conduct a Tonle Sap Cleanup Project, focusing on two main measures.
The plan was revealed by H.E. Eang Sophalleth, Minister of Environment, when he, EU Ambassador H.E. Igor Driesmans, and German Ambassador H.E. Stefan Messerer, held a press conference on the outcome of the EU Delegation to Cambodia’s visit to the Tonle Sap Biodiversity Area in Ek Phnom district, Battambang province, on the afternoon of Jan. 31.
The first measure is to prevent the influx of plastic bags through canals into Tonle Sap, making this largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia a garbage dump, he pointed out, adding that the ministry is currently working with an organisation to study innovations and techniques to make the prevention possible.
Another key measure is the identification of factories that drain water into Tonle Sap so as to install a monitoring system to make sure that the drained water from those factories does not pollute the environment, H.E. Minister said.
H.E. Eang Soph
alleth also expressed his concern over plastic waste at Tonle Sap, which affects biodiversity and human health.
The Ministry of Environment has been conducting ‘Today I Do Not Use Plastic Bags!’ campaign which has recently advanced to second phase after attracting the participation of over 7 million people.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse