We use cookies and similar technologies to make our website work well for you and to keep improving it. You decide which categories to allow. Learn more
One of the world’s longest rivers faces a massive waste problem. everwave’s first long-term project started right there, on the Mekong in Cambodia.
Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, Cambodia
River cleanup with a waste collection boat, manual riverbank cleanup and household collection
Certified under the Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) Standard by Control Union
August 2022
By playing the video, you agree to our privacy policy. If you play the video, data will be transmitted to the respective provider.
Our first long-term project site is in Phnom Penh, directly on the Mekong. The river crosses six countries and is a vital source of livelihood for millions of people. At the same time, many regions along the Mekong lack functioning waste management infrastructure. As a result, large amounts of plastic waste enter the environment and eventually the river.
Another cleanup site is located in Siem Reap on Tonlé Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Located near Angkor Wat, the lake supports the livelihoods of more than 15 million people as well as fishing and agriculture in the region. The so-called Floating Villages are particularly affected: communities built on the water. Without regulated waste management, plastic waste and household refuse end up directly in the lake.
We also took over the cleanup site in Sihanoukville from TONTOTON. The takeover and expansion of the site secure long-term waste collection and processing capacity. By integrating the site into our system, we can maintain the infrastructure and ensure continued operations.
Together with UNDP Cambodia and The Coca-Cola Foundation, we are strengthening sustainable waste management, reducing plastic pollution, and creating fair opportunities for informal waste collectors.
Supported by:
.png){kind=logo}
The centerpiece of our infrastructure is a specially developed waste collection boat for rivers. It moves directly into accumulated waste and transports it out of the water via a conveyor belt. Our teams also carry out regular riverbank cleanups around the collection sites to prevent waste from entering the waterways again.
We also work with local Clean Agents. They collect waste from the environment and waterways and bring it to our Zero-Waste Centers for further processing.
We bring all collected waste to our Zero-Waste Centers. There, it is first dried and then sorted by hand. Because we remove different types of waste from the environment, sorting is a crucial step.
This allows different raw materials to be directed to the appropriate recycling processes. At our Zero-Waste Centers, we prepare the collected waste for further recovery routes. Our goal is to keep as many materials as possible in circulation and prevent waste from entering the environment again.
The waste we collect in Cambodia consists of a wide range of materials. We currently sort it into the following categories: PP, PET, PS, HDPE, LDPE, PVC, textiles and non-recyclables.
Most of the recyclable plastic waste consists of PET and PP. We separate these types and sell them to a local recycling facility for further processing.
Unfortunately, non-recyclables have no further material value. A local company collects them for so-called co-processing: a process in which waste is incinerated under controlled conditions to generate energy for a cement plant.
We know that co-processing is also criticised, but under the local conditions, it is currently the only way to recover all of this waste in a controlled manner.
Transparency matters to us. That is why we are open when no better option exists for certain materials. For a very small share, currently less than 1%, there is no suitable local recovery route. This waste must therefore be disposed of properly at a local landfill. Our goal is to keep this share as low as possible and find better recovery routes as soon as they become available.
That is why careful sorting at our Zero-Waste Center is so important. It enables us to send as many materials as possible for meaningful further use and prevent collected waste from ending up in the environment again.
Working together with UNDP Cambodia, we are building sustainable collection and recovery systems to reduce plastic pollution. At the same time, we are creating better opportunities for informal waste collectors through fair income opportunities and capacity-building programs.
Our work focuses on four key impact areas:
Reducing plastic pollution through separate collection, recovery, and the safe disposal of non-recyclable waste.
Increasing social inclusion for women, vulnerable households, and informal waste collectors through fair participation and new income opportunities.
Improving working and living conditions through training, skills development, and access to more stable livelihoods.
Driving long-term change through environmental education and the promotion of the 4R principles: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
The project is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation and the Government of Japan and is implemented by everwave in partnership with UNDP Cambodia and the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia.
Because we operate locally, it is important for us to work with companies, policymakers and local stakeholders to create long-term, holistic impact.
Alongside local companies, UNDP and The Coca-Cola Foundation, we work closely with the Cambodian government. Together with the Ministry of Environment, we signed a five-year agreement to make Cambodia and the Mekong cleaner.
Of course, our local team is an essential part of these projects. In Cambodia, two project managers oversee the project and our boat. They work alongside dedicated colleagues who operate the boat, collect waste by hand along the riverbanks and sort it at the Zero-Waste Center.
Ready to be part of the wave? Get in touch with us, and together we’ll create a partnership that fits your company and sustainability goals.
Cambodia is one of the regions where limited waste infrastructure causes large amounts of plastic waste to enter rivers and waterways. Through our projects on the Mekong, Tonlé Sap Lake and in Sihanoukville, we stop this waste from reaching the oceans while building lasting systems for collection and further processing.
We combine several collection methods. A specially developed waste collection boat removes waste directly from the waterways. Our teams also carry out regular riverbank cleanups and work with local Clean Agents who collect waste from the environment and surrounding communities.
Our projects do not end with collection. By sorting waste at our Zero-Waste Centers, working with local recycling companies and using clearly documented processes, we ensure that collected waste is processed as effectively as possible.
Your company can support the project through Plastic Credits or an individual partnership. This helps expand infrastructure, collect plastic waste and protect Cambodia’s rivers and waterways over the long term. Get in touch if you would like to support us: [email protected]
