Environment Ministry orders stricter enforcement of ban on e-waste imports

E-waste Recycling  |  2026-08-03 00:33:49   |   By

At the same time, the ministry acknowledged that domestically generated electronic waste is increasing as technology use expands.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Ministry of Environment has instructed municipal and provincial administrations to enforce the ban on importing used batteries and electrical and electronic devices, warning that such waste is hazardous to public health and the environment.

In a letter to governors, Minister of Environment Eang Sophalleth called for enforcement of laws prohibiting the import of electronic waste.

“The import of electronic waste from overseas into the Kingdom of Cambodia is prohibited in accordance with the Environment and Natural Resources Code and the Sub-Decree on Solid Waste Management,” Sophalleth said.

He noted that the ministry has observed storage facilities, distributors, and retailers importing second-hand electrical products mixed with hazardous waste.

Prohibited items include used air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers, televisions, computers, mobile phones, and tablets.

Sophalleth said these products are classified as hazardous waste because they contain mercury, cadmium, nickel, chromium, arsenic, and lead.

“These substances can have severe impacts on public health, biodiversity and ecosystems when they are released into the environment through improper storage, dismantling and recycling that do not comply with environmental safety standards,” he said.

Sophalleth added that investment projects to recycle battery and electronics plan to import hazardous waste from overseas as raw materials.

“Such projects could cause serious impacts on public health and the environment and therefore should not receive support,” he said.

He said the enforcement measures aim to protect public health and the environment from hazardous substances in waste electronics.

“To protect public health and the environment from hazardous substances contained in waste batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment, I request Your Excellencies, governors, to strictly enforce the legal measures against the import of such waste from overseas into the Kingdom of Cambodia,” he said.

The ministry in June maintained that Cambodia will not allow the country to become a dumping ground for foreign electronic waste, describing the import ban as part of efforts to protect natural resources and public health.

According to the ministry, electronic waste includes discarded devices such as computers, televisions, mobile phones, printers, household appliances, and batteries.

Only about 9% of e-waste components can be recycled in an economically viable manner. The remainder require recycling technologies, specialised treatment, and disposal methods. The ministry warned that improper handling of e-waste can release hazardous substances into soil, groundwater, rivers, and the atmosphere, causing long-term contamination and posing risks to human health. Restoring polluted areas remains costly and damage may be irreversible.

At the same time, the ministry acknowledged that domestically generated electronic waste is increasing as technology use expands. Authorities are considering national initiatives to strengthen Cambodia’s capacity to collect, manage, and recycle local e-waste while minimising environmental risks, adding that preventing pollution remains the most effective way to preserve natural resources.

Courtesy: www.khmertimeskh.com