Bottles, plastic bags and other solid waste have been identified in Mekong. - MRC
VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): The Mekong River Commission (MRC) has sounded the alarm on the growing challenge of pollution due to macroplastics and microplastics and urged its four member countries to create a joint mechanism to monitor and clean up pollutants that affect the ecosystem and human health.
In its first report on “Riverine plastic pollution” in the Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB) that was unveiled recently, the MRC recommended that Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand pass and enforce new rules and regulations on waste littering, the so-called “3Rs” of reduce, reuse, recycle, and riverine plastic waste management.
The MRC said: “Indeed, the risks of plastics pollution are growing more urgent. The MRC’s own Riverine Plastic Monitoring (RPM) Programme - the first one in the world - estimated that in 2020, its four countries had produced about eight million tonnes of plastic waste. At ports and piers, for example, some 70 per cent to 90 per cent of the solid waste was identified as plastic bottles, plastic bags and Styrofoam.”
The CEO of the MRC Secretariat, Dr Anoulak Kittikhoun, said, “As our region is undergoing rapid economic development and urbanisation, plastic has found a wide variety of applications due to its relatively low cost, light weight, durability, ubiquity, and malleability.
“Yet, we must close our gaps in knowledge about the flux, transport behaviour and pathway of plastic pollution, to minimise impact on the Mekong, but also to contribute to saving the ocean.”
According to the MRC, these policies should specify who should do what, and identify the “clear responsibility of national government, local government, private sector and community”.
The MRC said: “Indeed, the risks of plastics pollution are growing more urgent. The MRC’s own Riverine Plastic Monitoring (RPM) Programme - the first one in the world - estimated that in 2020, its four countries had produced about eight million tons of plastic waste. At ports and piers, for example, some 70 percent to 90 percent of the solid waste was identified as plastic bottles, plastic bags and Styrofoam.”
The CEO of the MRC Secretariat, Dr Anoulak Kittikhoun, said, “As our region is undergoing rapid economic development and urbanisation, plastic has found a wide variety of applications due to its relatively low cost, light weight, durability, ubiquity, and malleability.
“Yet, we must close our gaps in knowledge about the flux, transport behaviour and pathway of plastic pollution, to minimise impact on the Mekong, but also to contribute to saving the ocean.”
According to the MRC, experts now view plastic pollution as a major hindrance to the “sustainable ocean economy”, which is relied on by some three billion people around the world. Collective action is needed, as most such pollution reportedly flows from 1,000 rivers globally, directly into the oceans. By some measures, the Mekong is one of the prime plastic polluters of the oceans.
The issue of plastic pollution first became prominent in 2017, when landmark research by a German-led team documented how large rivers were the main source of many hundreds of tonnes of plastics that had begun to suffocate parts of different oceans. The researchers identified the rivers most responsible around the world, and the Mekong ranked 10th.
The MRC highlighted the importance of comprehensive approaches, including multi-sectoral cooperation and oceanographical knowledge in response to the plastic pollution in the Mekong.
“Our work doesn’t end here, as much more must be done to protect the Mekong River Basin,” said Dr Kittikhoun. “We’ll look into more campaigns to raise public awareness and how to encourage relevant government officials to take meaningful actions.”
