EPPIC 2023
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Time: 2023
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Location: Cambodia
Discover the Problem
1. Kaysone Phomvihane, Lao DPR:
Kaysone Phomvihane City, the capital of Savannakhet Province, is a fast-growing urban hub on the Mekong River. While economic growth and infrastructure development are accelerating, rapid urbanization has increased waste and plastic pollution, posing environmental and health risks.
The city produces 80–120 metric tons of municipal solid waste daily, with organic materials and plastics making up about 64% of the total. Single-use plastics—like bottles, caps, and lids—account for around 95% of plastic pollution. Inadequate waste collection, illegal dumping, and poor disposal practices have created pollution hotspots across the city.
Only 30% of households have waste collection service contracts, and the city’s landfill is insufficient for current needs. Waste collection services also struggle with limited equipment and lack of source separation. Around 60% of households in the city have regular waste collection access.
No plastic recycling facilities exist in Kaysone Phomvihane, and few exist nationally. Most sorted plastic is exported for recycling. Meanwhile, plastic waste imports into Lao PDR
have sharply increased, nearing 100,000 metric tons in 2019 after China’s import restrictions.
Solid waste management is led by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. New policies are being developed to strengthen waste management at all levels.
Despite these challenges, opportunities exist for private sector engagement in areas such as sustainable packaging, recycling, community education, innovative business models, and circular economy initiatives. Public-private partnerships and inclusion of the informal sector can also drive progress.
2. Sihanoukville, Cambodia:
Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s largest coastal city with a population of around 83,000, has rapidly developed through investments in real estate, ports, special economic zones, and tourism. The city’s economy is driven by residents and migrants seeking work and opportunity.
Tourism plays a key role, with about 1.2 million visitors recorded in the first half of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth has spurred hotel and resort
development. Manufacturing has also supported job creation and economic progress, especially within Special Economic Zones.
However, rapid growth has led to rising challenges in waste management. Sihanoukville generates about 366 metric tons of waste daily, with 63% coming from non-household sources such as hotels, markets, and businesses. Most waste is disposed of in landfills, with limited recovery or recycling.
Organic waste makes up about half of the total waste stream. Plastic waste is also significant, with an estimated 40,236 metric tons generated annually, but only about 3,446 tons are recovered, mainly by the informal sector. Plastic bags (60%) and bottles (19%) are the most common household plastic waste items. Inadequate waste recovery and improper disposal lead to plastic leakage into the environment.
A private company manages waste collection and transport, but challenges remain, including illegal dumping, fee collection issues, and limited access to some areas.
The report underscores the need for effective local and national policies, with decentralized responsibilities at the provincial and municipal levels. The private sector is seen as a key factor in promoting sustainable waste solutions. Opportunities include recycling innovations, sustainable
packaging, public-private partnerships, informal sector inclusion, and circular economy models.
Award winning initiative
We lab
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
GreenTile
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
GOMI Recycle
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
TONTOTON
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
Bodhi Tree Naturals
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
SkySweeper
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
Trash to Cash
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
Rukkhak-Packages
Over 25 teams from different parts of Cambodia have applied to EPPIC 2023 in two months. They came up with a broad range of solutions to tackle plastic pollution with upstream and downstream innovations. In October 2023, 08 teams were selected as EPPIC finalists and undertook a 2-month incubation programme, including two field trips to Sihanoukville province. During the Final Pitching Competition, taking place on 07 December 2023, 04 winners (2 from Cambodia) were awarded seed funding of up to USD 18,000 each and started a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
Innovator: EPPIC 2023
