A team of environmental ministry officials inspected the discharge of wastewater into Sangke Creek by Cambodian Noble Taste Food Co Ltd on December 30. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
PHNOM PENH (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): The Cambodian Ministry of Environment has ordered Cambodian Noble Taste Food Co Ltd to stop discharging wastewater into Sangke Creek and to clean up sediment in the waterway to protect the environment and benefit local residents.
The directive followed a December 30 inspection conducted by ministry officials, legal representatives, Prey Nop district authorities and relevant agencies. The inspection targeted wastewater discharge into the creek in Teuk Thla commune of Preah Sihanouk province’s Prey Nop district near the company’s factory.
In a December 31 report, the ministry stated that the inspection team surveyed the creek from the stone bridge on National Road 3. It noted that certain sections showed murky water, floating grease and unpleasant odours, although water near the sea appeared clear.
Local fishermen reported that the creek’s water had turned black and emitted a strong smell as it flowed into the sea a week before the inspection. However, no foul water was discharged in the two days leading up to the team’s visit.
“The inspection team entered the company’s premises and found that wastewater discharge from the factory was irregular in some areas. The team instructed the factory to comply with applicable laws,” the ministry stated.
The team recommended several measures to address the pollution, including the installation of properly designed treatment ponds that meet technical standards, ensuring wastewater is discharged into the Sangke from a single designated location and equipping the factory with automatic monitoring systems to oversee wastewater discharge.
They also stressed that sediment from treatment ponds must be managed in compliance with technical guidelines and environmental laws.
The team further instructed the company to “cease burning any type of waste to avoid environmental pollution and to restore Sangke Creek to a clean state, enabling local residents to benefit from it without further negative impacts.”
The company acknowledged its shortcomings and apologised to the affected residents, pledging to implement the recommended measures and comply with the law, according to the ministry.
In addition, the ministry’s technical team collected additional wastewater samples from two locations at the factory for further analysis to ensure compliance with established procedures.
The ministry stressed that water pollution harming the environment, biodiversity or public health is a violation of Article 287 of the Environmental and Natural Resources Code, as well as Articles 4, 6 and 9 of the sub-decree on Water Pollution Control.
It also highlighted that Article 844 of the Environmental and Natural Resources Code outlines penalties for environmental harm, such as releasing, burying or discarding hazardous waste that damages the environment, public health or property, as specified in Article 273. Violations are punishable by imprisonment of one to five years and fines ranging from 100 million to 500 million riel (approximately $25,000-$125,000).
To enhance oversight, the ministry is upgrading its monitoring systems with remote tracking capabilities, including automatic monitoring devices and data management systems for wastewater discharge. As of December, 36 out of 122 factories and enterprises nationwide have installed such equipment at their locations. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
