Promoting Circular Solutions for the F&B Sector to Tackle Plastic Pollution in Cambodia

Cambodia’s economy and population have grown rapidly in tandem. From 2011 to 2021, GDP per capita increased from US$ 882 to US$ 1,625 (WB, 2022). Meanwhile, the population grew from 13.8 million in 2008 to 16.6 million in 2021 (WB, 2023). The growing economy and population have vastly increased the use of materials and the amount of waste generated. This has added significant pressure on Cambodia’s resources, infrastructure, and environment. In Phnom Penh, for instance, the total volume of municipal waste increased drastically from 343,657 metric tons in 2007 to 1,288,223 metric tons in 2022 (MoE 2023). At least 20% of this waste is plastic that is dumped in landfills.

Single Use Plastics (SUPs) used in the Food & Beverage (F&B) sector (e.g. plastic bags, cups, wraps, PET bottles) is the dominant type of plastic waste found in the landfill. This is also the case with plastic waste found in the environment and waterways. The combined drone and field surveys conducted by the World Bank (2025) found that SUPs accounted for around 90% of all waste leakage to rivers and coastal areas in Cambodia.