Justification of the Problem
Sihanoukville has been consistently facing the problem of pollution for the past few decades, and it will only get worse as the population grows and the economy improves. This issue stems from the atrocious conditions of the local water source, as well as the fact that other bodies of water are not drinkable. This led to the overconsumption of bottled water and contributed to 34% of the 700 tons of waste being produced in Sihanoukville. The local waste disposal system is far too inadequate to support the amount of waste being produced, so most of the trash is left on the streets, growing every single day.
Due to economic and commercial growth, along with significant yearly population growth, the city of Sihanoukville is facing greater amounts of waste every day. The increasing population of Sihanoukville has caused an increase from 100-200 tonnes of plastic waste a day in 2015 to 700 tonnes a day in 2019. The lack of awareness and education on the importance and impact of the issue is preventing real improvement within the community.
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One of the roots of the problem is the overconsumption of plastic due to the convenience desired by buyers. Items, such as plastic bags, are overused due to being lightweight, easily disposable, and extremely cost-effective.The ACRA Foundation estimates that on average 10 million plastic bags are used every day in Cambodia.
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Another contributor of waste is plastic bottles. The poor water quality leaves residents with no other choice than buying bottled water for survival. A lack of recycling in the city leads these bottles to be left on the streets and further increase the disparities between the waste and the amount of waste being collected.
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Without proper disposal methods for all types of waste, waste collectors will constantly be in contact with waste materials which could cause skin irritation, or even lead to a variety of respiratory problems due to the gases released in such areas.
Invested Groups
The management of solid waste is a convoluted issue that involves multiple levels of people, ranging from the service providers, the government, private companies, and even the people themselves.
Tourism:
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In 2016, Cambodia welcomed more than 6 million foreign visitors, and that number is predicted to grow to 10 million by 2025.
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32.4% of Cambodia's GDP comes from the tourism sector, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, and it was predicted to rise
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Tourism has many advantages, but it also has a significant impact on the environment.
Waste Management Companies:
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Cintri, a waste management company that was based in Sihanoukville, had its license revoked because it was insufficient at its job of cleaning up waste.
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The new company, Kompong Som Waste Management (KSWM), has taken up these reigns.
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KSWM has been getting pressure from many politicians to fix this problem.
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Would be beneficial to their reputation as a reliable company helping the community to support and aid any efforts made to diminish the amount of plastic waste in Sihanoukville.
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Parameters and Constraints
Above all, we want to ensure that our solution does not further contribute to the plastic pollution damaging the city. Therefore, finding materials that are recyclable or even biodegradable is imperative. We aim to reduce plastic waste by at least 5 percent.
The design should include materials that are biodegradable and the production of any items should not have an extensive amount of waste as a byproduct. It should also be easy to use and cater to the specific needs of the individuals affected.