Cambodia and UNDP launch $4 million e-waste management project

The UN Development Programme and Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment have launched a new project to improve the country’s handling of electronic waste and support a shift toward a circular economy.

The five-year initiative, scheduled to run from 2026 to 2031, is funded by a $4 million grant from the Global Environment Facility. It forms part of the Global Electronics Management programme, a multinational effort aimed at cutting pollution and improving resource efficiency across the electronics supply chain.

UNDP said the Cambodia project is expected to directly benefit more than 200,000 people by improving workplace safety and reducing exposure to dangerous waste materials.

The programme is also backed by about $26 million in co-financing from the Cambodian government and private-sector partners. It is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 27,000 tonnes, support the safe treatment and disposal of hazardous substances including persistent organic pollutants and mercury, and keep more than 20,000 tonnes of toxic materials from entering the environment.

Cambodia is one of three countries where UNDP is leading implementation of the Global Electronics Management programme, along with Vietnam and Colombia.

Growing electronics use

UNDP resident representative in Cambodia Enrico Gaveglia said the rapid growth in electronic equipment use in the country has made stronger management systems increasingly important.

He said Cambodia had an estimated 24 million electronic devices in use in 2024, underscoring the need to update systems for handling products once they reach the end of their working life.

Gaveglia said the project would help build safeguards and capacity so communities and workers are not exposed to unsafe practices or toxic substances. He added that the initiative supports safer, more practical systems that protect public health and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient economy.

Recovering valuable materials safely

Xiaofang Zhou, UNDP’s head of cooling systems, circular economy and pollution prevention, said electronic waste contains both valuable materials and hazardous substances, making safe recovery and reuse a complex task.

She said the key challenge is to recover materials for reuse without creating new risks for people or the environment. Many electronic products are also not designed for easy material recovery, making them difficult to dismantle and separate.

Zhou said stronger systems for collection, dismantling and treatment are needed so materials can be recovered more safely and efficiently, rather than being lost or handled in unsafe conditions.

Policy support and circular economy goals

Environment ministry secretary of state Chuop Paris said the ministry is working to move waste management away from a linear “take-make-dispose” model and toward a circular economy that keeps resources in use, reduces waste and protects public wellbeing and environmental quality.

He said the ministry is strengthening policies, regulations and legal tools through the Environmental Code and Natural Resources and the Environmental Circular Strategy 2023-2028, especially under its “clean” pillar.

Paris said those efforts include promoting greater responsibility among producers and importers, encouraging innovation in recycling, resource recovery and reuse, and raising public awareness through campaigns and public events.

GEF CEO and chairperson ad interim Claude Gascon said the Global Electronics Management programme is helping countries address one of the fastest-growing sources of pollution.

He said the environmental impacts of rising electronics use will become harder to manage without effective systems. He added that tackling e-waste also requires changes in market practices, along with clearer policies and standards to support safer and more sustainable approaches.

Gascon said the Cambodia initiative marks an important step toward building that foundation.