Hello expats! I'll be arriving in Cambodia next week to do some research and I'm wondering if anyone here is able to help me.

I'm interested in how refrigerators and air conditioners are disposed of - short version, the refrigerant they contain is a potent greenhouse gas and usually the refrigerant is emitted into the atmosphere when the device is sold for scrap. So I'm trying to learn about the bulk waste ecosystem in Cambodia and where these devices go when they are thrown out. Specifically I'm interested in meeting people who work either in waste management (industry, policy or NGO), or HVAC folks who might do repair on old ACs / refrigerator systems and be knowledgable about where those devices end up.

If this sounds even a little bit interesting to you, or you think you'd have anything useful to add about doing this kind of work in Cambodia -- I'd love to hear about it on this forum, or meet and chat! I'll be starting off in Siem Reap the weekend of 11/23 and then afterwards mostly based in PP.

First coffee or beer is on me .

PS Not sure if this deserved a separate thread, but I'm trying to figure out the best lodging situation - where would be the best place to find a weekly apartment rental (furnished)? I don't know exactly how long I'll be in-country and looking for something a bit more comfortable than a hostel.

That's very helpful, thanks Ira. I do think I will need a guide/translator, do you have any advice on how to find such a person?

It is normal for Cambodians to burn rubbish, including plastic bags. They don't understand or care if themselves and their neighbours breathe in the smoke. At one place, I suggested they could get the rubbish collected for a few dollars a month. But they would rather burn it than spend the money.

Those living near rivers, often throw rubbish in the rivers, and it washes out to sea.

If you look into the refrigerator and air conditioner industry, you are going go find they don't understand or care any more.

If you want to introduce any new procedure which will cost money, they wont want to spend the money.

explorer wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 10:08 am If you look into the refrigerator and air conditioner industry, you are going go find they don't understand or care any more.

If you want to introduce any new procedure which will cost money, they wont want to spend the money.

Thanks for the perspective! Specifically for these bulk devices I suspect the story may be different since they are valuable as scrap metal. I could be wrong, of course, but that's part of what I'm trying to learn.

explorer wrote:It is normal for Cambodians to burn rubbish, including plastic bags. They don't understand or care if themselves and their neighbours breathe in the smoke. At one place, I suggested they could get the rubbish collected for a few dollars a month. But they would rather burn it than spend the money.

Those living near rivers, often throw rubbish in the rivers, and it washes out to sea.

If you look into the refrigerator and air conditioner industry, you are going go find they don't understand or care any more.

If you want to introduce any new procedure which will cost money, they wont want to spend the money.

Cambodian throw nothing of value away. If they have no use for something, they sell it to echais, who will strip out the valuable parts and *then* throw the rest in the river.

dorsalfin1234 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:08 pm for these bulk devices I suspect the story may be different since they are valuable as scrap metal. I could be wrong, of course, but that's part of what I'm trying to learn.

Yes metal gets recycled.

Don't expect them to recycle the gas, unless there is money to be made by doing so.

dorsalfin1234 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:25 am I'm interested in how refrigerators and air conditioners are disposed of - short version, the refrigerant they contain is a potent greenhouse gas and usually the refrigerant is emitted into the atmosphere when the device is sold for scrap. So I'm trying to learn about the bulk waste ecosystem in Cambodia and where these devices go when they are thrown out. Specifically I'm interested in meeting people who work either in waste management (industry, policy or NGO), or HVAC folks who might do repair on old ACs / refrigerator systems and be knowledgable about where those devices end up.

I am trying to understand. What is the purpose of what you are doing? What are you trying to achieve?