On January 20, 2026, Cambodia officially launched the "Cambodia Plastic Action Roadmap: A Journey Towards a Circular Economy," the country's first plastic action roadmap. This roadmap aims to reduce plastic pollution by nearly 75% over the next 15 years (by 2040) and increase plastic recycling rates to 52% by 2040.
This initiative responds to a national baseline assessment of plastic waste growth and the five major plastic waste streams. The study estimates that Cambodia generated 546,000 tons of plastic waste in 2022, averaging 33 kg per capita per year-a level exceeding the per capita plastic waste generation of low- and middle-income countries in the same year.
The study also revealed significant disparities in waste collection. While collection rates in urban areas were around 70%, the national average was only slightly over 50%, primarily due to limited infrastructure and poor accessibility in rural areas.
Cambodian Environment Minister Eun Sary stated that the roadmap aligns with the "Clean" pillar of Cambodia's "Environmental Circular Economy Strategy 2023-2028," integrating plastic reduction efforts into a broader environmental modernization drive.
Based on its 2040 system transformation scenario, the plan projects a 74% reduction in plastic pollution, a 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions, and a 37% reduction in government costs compared to a normal business scenario. According to the roadmap, this transformation could also create approximately 26,000 new jobs.
