Environment ministry officials inspect a pipe which discharges contaminated wastewater from the Win Ta Garment & Finishing Company into the Prek Thnaot in late January. Environment ministry
The Ministry of Environment is preparing the required documentation to shut down the operations of Win Ta Garment & Finishing Co., Ltd. It will request cooperation from the Ministry of Justice.
The strong action follows repeated violations by the company, which has continued to discharge untreated wastewater into the Prek Tnaot irrigation system. The factory is located in Kandal province’s Sarmang village, in Ang Snoul district’s Krang Mkak commune.
Environment ministry spokesperson Khvay Atitya said on February 13 that the factory’s repeated violation of the regulations issued by the ministry has left it no choice but to enforce legal measures under Article 824 of the Environmental and Natural Resources Code.
“Article 824 provides administrative measures, including suspending the company’s operations. We are now implementing this law. The ministry is finalising the necessary documents and will seek cooperation from the Ministry of Justice to conduct an inspection and permanently shut down the factory,” he explained.
A ministry inspection team previously visited the factory on January 31 and discovered that untreated wastewater was being discharged into the canal. As a temporary measure, some of the company’s operations were suspended. The pollution caused by the wastewater discharge has impacted water usage and public health.
Atitya added that despite the suspension, complaints from local residents led to Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth ordering another inspection on February 12. The inspection confirmed that the factory was still illegally discharging wastewater with a noticeable colour and odour into the body of water.
The investigation found that the company used an 0.80-metre diameter black PVC pipe to drain garment-washing wastewater from the factory into a dirt canal, which then flowed into the Prek Tnaot.
Further inspections at the discharge site confirmed the presence of a strong chemical odour and murky blue-gray water. Residents living near the factory reported that the company typically released wastewater at night.
“The company changed their method from discharging directly into Stung Trek Tnaotto digging a trench to channel the wastewater into it,” noted the spokesperson.
Win Ta Garment & Finishing could not be reached for comment.
The factory specialises in garment washing and began operations in October 2024. However, it has yet to complete an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, which remains in draft form, according to the ministry.
The factory operates 25 large-scale industrial washing machines, though only 15 are currently in use, with the remaining 10 yet to be installed. The company employs 90 workers, who work in two shifts – day and night.
