The world is making the Mekong its dump

South-East Asian waterways including the Mekong river are getting polluted with untreated wastewater from errant recycling firms. – AP

On World Rivers Day today, we look at how mounting marine pollution is choking the world’s oceans and rivers, especially in South-East Asia. It’ll only get worse unless something changes, says the writer.

COUNTRIES along the Mekong River have become the world’s dumping ground for waste. Rubbish is finding its way into the water – killing marine animals and clogging up animals with plastic that are later eaten by humans. And it only got worse during the pandemic.