Siem Reap to Pilot Its First-Ever Deposit & Return Cup System
Siem Reap is taking another exciting step toward a greener future! 🌿✨
The upcoming Wat Bo Village Festival (October 18–19, 2025) will pilot for the very first time a Deposit and Return System (DRS) for reusable cups.
The initiative aims to reduce the environmental footprint of events by cutting down on single-use plastics. Instead of disposable cups, festival-goers will receive a beautiful 500ml stainless-steel reusable cup after paying a small refundable deposit. The process is simple: borrow your cup, enjoy your favorite drinks, reuse it as much as you like, and return it before leaving to get your full deposit back. Bambu Stage, one of the active business on Bamboo Street, will be running the pilot during the event.
The aim is to make sustainability part of the fun. Visitors can enjoy the festival and at the same time be part of an exciting experiment to reduce waste in Siem Reap.
The design of the Deposit & Return Points will reflect the festival’s bamboo theme, featuring stalls and baskets made of natural materials, along with cloth towels for cup cleaning—showcasing local creativity while keeping things environmentally friendly.
This pilot is more than just a logistical innovation—it’s part of a wider effort to make Siem Reap’s events more sustainable and to inspire similar actions across Cambodia.
Festival visitors will also notice that the reusable cups proudly display stickers from the city’s Water Refill Campaign, promoting the growing network of free water refill stations across Siem Reap.
Alongside this sustainability initiative, the Wat Bo Village Festival will bring together Khmer and international artists, creative performances, local food and drinks, locally made handcraft and plenty of activities for families and friends. It’s a true celebration of culture, community, and conscious living.
So mark your calendars and join us on Bamboo Street, where Siem Reap’s journey toward a cleaner, more sustainable future continues
This pilot a joint effort between the Siem Reap Provincial Administration, supported by GIZ Cambodia, and implemented by Bambu Stage.
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Author: Marielisa Padilla
Marielisa Padilla is a multilingual expert in smart cities, sustainable urban development, and circularity. She has lived on three continents and collaborated with more than 25 cities worldwide to co-create innovative urban solutions. Now based in Siem Reap, she supports the Provincial Administration, on behalf of GIZ with projects on smart cities, sustainable tourism, and waste management. Fascinated by Siem Reap’s potential, she sees not only the marvel of its temples and exquisite architecture — true works of science and art — but also the vibrant opportunities that position the city as a hub for sustainable transformation. For Marielisa, sustainability is more than a professional field — it is a way of living. Beyond her work in smart cities and sustainability, she is also a yoga, mindfulness, and sleep coach. She believes that just as balance and awareness can transform cities, they can also transform lives.
