PHNOM PENH: A nationwide environmental cleanup campaign will run from Sept 18 to 30 to remove plastic waste and raise awareness of the growing threat it poses to the planet.
The campaign is part of the ninth World Cleanup Day in 2026, organised by the Ministry of Environment in cooperation with government ministries, institutions and 10 partner organisations.
It will officially launch on Friday, Sept 18, at Neang Prach Nha Baramey Park in Chroy Changvar, Phnom Penh.
Cleanup activities will be held in provinces across the country through the end of September, alongside events in 198 countries worldwide, under the theme “5 per cent participation from the population of each country”.
The campaign is being carried out with 10 government ministries and institutions, the Phnom Penh Capital Administration and River Ocean Cleanup (ROC).
The event aligns with phase one of the government’s Pentagonal Strategy and supports implementation of the Environmental Circular Strategy 2023-2028, which focuses on a clean, green and sustainable Cambodia. It also contributes to the “Clean National Roads, Free of Plastic Waste” campaign and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
During a recent meeting with ROC leaders, Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth expressed his appreciation to all of the volunteers, students, young people, monks, NGOs, UN agencies and development partners for their active participation in national environmental campaigns, including “Clean Cambodia, Khmer Can Do It” and initiatives promoting plastic-free national roads.
ROC said these collective efforts had made an important contribution to improving cleanliness and sanitation in Cambodia while protecting the country’s land, air and water environments.
The organisation said the initiatives demonstrated what could be achieved when the government, communities, civil society and development partners worked together, while stressing that responsibility did not end with the achievements already made.
Sophalleth called on citizens, students, teachers and especially the private sector to join World Cleanup Day 2026 to strengthen a culture of environmental responsibility nationwide and contribute to a cleaner world.
The private sector has an important role to play by mobilising employees, customers, communities and resources to accelerate efforts to combat pollution and promote the transition towards a circular economy and sustainable development, he noted.
The ROC highlighted that World Cleanup Day is not simply about collecting rubbish and plastic waste, but also serves as a platform for partnership, leadership and shared responsibility for protecting the environment. - The Phnom Penh/ANN
