PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has reported a significant decline in the imports of plastic bags in the first quarter of 2024, thanks to an ongoing plastics-free campaign, said the Environment Ministry's news release on Wednesday (April 10).
The South-East Asian country imported about 21.5 tonnes of plastic bags during the January-March period this year, down 74.6 per cent from 84.8 tonnes over the same period last year, the news release said.
Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth attributed this remarkable drop to the plastics-free campaign, which was launched on Sept 1, 2023 and has been supported by 7.6 million people.
"The dramatic decline in plastic bag imports explicitly demonstrates that people are committed to reducing the use of plastic bags for the sake of the country's clean, green and sustainable development," he told Xinhua.
Plastics-free supporters have been determined not to use plastic bags at least one day per week, the minister said, adding that their determination has importantly contributed to protecting environment and promoting a clean and green Cambodia.
Meanwhile, Sophalleth also called on people to plant more trees in order to achieve the country's goals of 60 per cent forest cover and carbon neutrality by 2050. - Xinhua
