Earth Day may be firmly in the rearview, though here at ISF our commitment to positive environmental change is ongoing. Especially in the low-income neighborhoods which house our students. These districts in Phnom Penh often have poor waste management systems, resulting in piles of plastic waste collecting near homes that negatively impact inhabitants wellbeing.  Yet it can sometimes be tricky to know where to start, which is why we invited an expert to help. Sarah Rhodes, the founder of Plastic Free Southeast Asia, joined us recently to help design projects aimed at reducing plastic waste.

If you’ve seen the news lately, or just checked your social media stream, you know plastic pollution is a hot topic. And it’s not only because refusing a plastic straw in that colourful milk tea makes for a good selfie. Along with changing to a local or sustainable diet, reducing reliance on single-use plastic is one of the most impactful ways individuals can lighten their footprint on this fragile planet.

A bed of plastic waste at a housing settlement near our Chbar Ampov campus

Of course, it’s not only straws that are to blame. In Cambodia, the overuse of single-use plastic bags and plastic packaging are clogging the country’s waste management system. It’s estimated that Phnom Penh’s landfills will be full by 2020. That’s 17 years ahead of schedule!

The Problem of Plastic Waste

Plastic waste in Cambodia, by the numbers:

• The Average Cambodian uses 42-52 plastic bags per week
• 1,286 tonnes of waste enters the Kingdom’s landfills daily. 20% of that is plastic.
• 95% of the plastic pollution in the ocean comes from just 10 rivers. 8 are in Asia. 1 is the Mekong, which runs through Cambodia.

For most consumers, plastic bags are a convenience. They hold purchases while we go about our day. And it’s true, plastic products, from bags on down to straws are quite useful. The problem really presents itself when that use is over. That same bags or straws we’ve used for an hour can take from 500 to 1000 years to break down in a landfill. And when they do decompose, it’s into smaller toxic plastic particles that poison soil and waterways.

The lifecycle of plastics © WWF-Aus / Stef Mercurio

How you can go plastic free

At Indochina Starfish Foundation, we’ve identified three areas where we can lessen plastic waste. First, we’ll be changing to reusable tote bags and food containers when delivering monthly food stipends to our students’ families. Second, we will introduce environmental and waste sorting education into our students curriculum. And third, we’re making ‘plastic-free’ kits, including reusable cups, plates and flatware, to bring to off-site sporting events.

ISF Staff planning plastic free projects

The problem of plastic pollution is a global one, but you can still make a difference as an individual. Plastic Free Southeast Asia shared some tips on how everyone can reduce waste every day.

• Take a reusable grocery bag when you go shopping. If you forget your bag, try to use only a few plastic bags or ideally one, to carry your purchases
• Refuse a straw, or carry a bamboo one with you
• Bring your own reusable coffee cup, tupperware or Chan Srak for takeaway drinks and food.

We do hope you join us on our journey by reducing your own reliance on plastic. We believe children not only need books and teachers, but also a clean environment that promotes healthy minds and bodies.