Waste collection fees to be paid via electronic payment systems

Waste collection fees to be paid via electronic payment systems

The City Hall today announced that people can now have their waste collection fees paid via multiple electronic payment systems from February 1.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, deputy chief of city hall Keut Che said people can pay for their rubbish collection fees in January through the applications such as ACLEDA Bank, Wing, E-Money, Lyhour, Pipay, and True-Money.

He said using the electronic payment system will cost users between 500 riel to 800 riel in one transaction depending on the amount of the payment. “But people can also pay on a yearly basis, with a lucrative one-time fee,” Mr Che said.

“Using these kind of electronic payment systems can save our time and it’s more convenient.”Mr Che noted that people can pay January’s waste collection fees with the same amount of bill recorded in last October’s fees.“This is a must for all households to pay waste collection fees because they produce rubbish everyday.

They must pay it between 1-15 January or they will be fined,” he added.Last October, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced the government will acquire and manage Cintri (Cambodia), the private company contracted to collect and dispose of waste in the capital, He noted that the capital has mounting piles of trash, traffic jams and a lack of parking, ordering the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Phnom Penh City Hall to work with Cintri on the acquisitionMr Hun Sen also instructed the government must purchase and manage the company to provide a better and more efficient service.

In a separate press conference on Monday, Neth Pheaktra, Environment Ministry spokesman, said the government is now working to develop a policy on urban waste management aimed at improving cleanliness and the environment.

Mr Pheaktra noted that Cambodia produces about four million tonnes of garbage yearly or more than 10,000 tonnes daily, of which 65 percent is organic waste, 20 percent is plastic waste and the rest solid and other waste.

This includes all categories of waste – household, industrial, hazardous, construction, and demolition rubbish. He added that the amount of garbage being thrown away is increasing by about 15 percent yearly due to a growing population, more consumption of goods and limited waste recycling facilities.

Mr Pheaktra said there are 106 landfills across the country, noting that 79 districts and cities still do not have landfills yet.