The $6.5 million Serei Saophoan town landfill is intended to be in use until 2040. Public works ministry
A new $6.5 million landfill in Banteay Meanchey province is officially open for business. The 11 hectare site will be in use until 2040 and is expected to improve environmental management and promote sanitation in the towns and villages around the Tonle Sap Lake.
The Serei Saophoan town landfill is part of phase two of an environmental management improvement project in the areas surrounding the lake, and was funded by a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The facility, which took 10 months to construct, was begun in December 2023.
Located in Serei Saophoan town’s Kampong Svay commune, the landfill will serve a population of around 130,000 people from the communes of Makak, Kampong Svay, Preah Ponnlea, Teuk Thla, Ou Ambel, Phniet and Koh Pong Sat.
Ros Vanna, secretary of state at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, addressed the January 17 inauguration ceremony.
He explained the benefits of the construction of landfills and wastewater treatment stations to the public. The new facilities will benefit citizens by turning waste into compost, among other services.
The ribbon was cut and the Serei Saophoan town landfill was officially declared open on January 17. Public works ministry
“If waste and wastewater are properly disposed of according to technical standards, it will reduce health issues for the public, and people will not have to spend much on treatment costs,” he said.
He added that if the environment is kept sanitary, it will contribute to the national economy through the attraction of tourists, which will in turn provide jobs for citizens, increase incomes and lead to rapid regional development.
Vanna noted that the government has already provided the citizens with both above-ground and underground infrastructure. Therefore, to ensure the sustainability of the landfill, it is essential to have public support through participation in paying waste collection fees and wastewater treatment fees, with the primary goal being the maintenance of public health.
Acting provincial governor Ly Vannarith, who opened the facility, explained that the landfill was designed with two main cells: the first cell has a volume of 64,242 cubic metres, capable of holding 51,414 tonnes of waste, and the second cell has a volume of 87,630 cubic meters, capable of holding 84,060 tonnes of waste.
Additionally, a reserve cell has a volume of 171,874 cubic meters and can hold 270,989 tonnes of waste.
The public works ministry has already built modern landfills in several provinces, including Preah Sihanouk, Battambang, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Kampot, Kep, Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Kratie and Stung Treng.
