Student-led plastic cleanup garners Asean recognition

Hem Sophem receives the Asean Award for his waste collection work, at a ceremony in the Lao capital Vientiane. - SUPPLIED

PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Neetwork): Striving to set an example and educate others on proper plastic disposal, a student and his teammates dedicated over a year to collecting plastic waste from sewage canals in Phnom Penh, resulting in their environmental efforts gaining recognition among young people from Asean countries.

Hem Sophem, a 22-year-old student from the Institute of Foreign Languages at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, initiated his first plastic waste collection project. His team’s efforts earned the 2nd Asean Youth Eco-Champions Award.