The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is an intergovernmental organisation for regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin, established in 1995 based on the Mekong Agreement between Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Thailand, and Viet Nam. MRC is a regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub of water resource management for the region’s sustainable development (MRC, 2020).
MRC published a report on waste management guidelines for ships and ports MRC (2013) in October 2013, to reduce illegal waste dumping into the sea. It aimed to enhance the protection of the marine environment by reducing the discharge of ship-generated waste and cargo residue due to inefficient waste management, lack of control, inadequate recovery systems, and inefficient information flow. The report provides clear instructions for port users on regulations, waste streams, and handling routines. It reviews existing facilities for port and vessel waste management to support the development of a comprehensive waste management plan for Chiang Saen Commercial Port.
The MRC Secretariat and United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific hosted the Regional Technical Workshop on Assessment and Monitoring of Plastic Pollution in the Mekong River on 11–12 February 2020, as part of phase 1 of Promotion of Countermeasures Against Marine Plastic Litter in Southeast Asia and India (CounterMEASURE project) funded by the government of Japan. It discussed assessment methodologies to study plastic debris and its sources along the Mekong River.
The assessment, led by four Mekong universities, involved monitoring and collecting plastic debris and waste leakage in five sites in major Mekong cities – Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Can Tho (MRC, 2020). It provides Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam with scientific evidence on plastic debris, as well as plastic pollution and its threat to people and the environment (Greater Mekong Subregion, 2020).
Phase 2 of the CounterMEASURE project kicked off field surveys along the Mekong, mapping plastic leakage and hotspots (UNEP, 2021). The MRC Secretariat identified 12 ports and piers along the Mekong to assess plastic leakage and accumulation (UNEP, 2021). A number of other areas are also being surveyed in six project sites. The project will utilise Albatross, a microplastic sampling device developed by Pirika, Inc, and a citizen science mobile application tool developed by the Geoinformatic Centre of the Asian Institute of Technology (UNEP, 2021).
Phase 2 will also look for information on the impact of plastics on migratory species in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems (Convention on Migratory Species, 2021). This supports the implementation of Resolution 12.20 on Management of Marine Debris and Decisions 13.122 to 13.125 – Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Aquatic, Terrestrial and Avian Species of the Convention on Migratory Species (the Bonn Convention).
Convention on Migratory Species (2021), Promotion of Action Against Marine Plastic Litter in Asia and the Pacific (CounterMEASURE II). https://www.cms.int/en/project/countermeasure-ii-project (accessed 26 April 2021).
Greater Mekong Subregion (2020), Countries Undertake Assessment of Plastic Pollution in the Mekong River. https://www.greatermekong.org/countries-undertake-assessment-plastic-pollution-mekong-river (accessed 25 April 2021).
Mekong River Commission (MRC) (2013), Waste Management Guidelines: Prepared for Chiang Saen Commercial Port Area. https://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/basin-reports/Waste-Management-Guidelines-Sept2013.pdf (accessed 2 May 2021).
Mekong River Commission (MRC) (2020), Actions to address Mekong plastic pollution take shape. https://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/news/actions-to-address-mekong-plastic-pollution-take-shape/ (accessed 25 April 2021).
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2021), Field surveys begin in Mekong River for CounterMEASURE Phase 2. https://countermeasure.asia/field-surveys-begin-in-mekong-river-for-countermeasure-phase-2/ (accessed 25 April 2021).
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is an intergovernmental organisation for regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin, established in 1995 based on the Mekong Agreement between Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Thailand, and Viet Nam. MRC is a regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub of water resource management for the region’s sustainable development (MRC, 2020).
MRC published a report on waste management guidelines for ships and ports MRC (2013) in October 2013, to reduce illegal waste dumping into the sea. It aimed to enhance the protection of the marine environment by reducing the discharge of ship-generated waste and cargo residue due to inefficient waste management, lack of control, inadequate recovery systems, and inefficient information flow. The report provides clear instructions for port users on regulations, waste streams, and handling routines. It reviews existing facilities for port and vessel waste management to support the development of a comprehensive waste management plan for Chiang Saen Commercial Port.
The MRC Secretariat and United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific hosted the Regional Technical Workshop on Assessment and Monitoring of Plastic Pollution in the Mekong River on 11–12 February 2020, as part of phase 1 of Promotion of Countermeasures Against Marine Plastic Litter in Southeast Asia and India (CounterMEASURE project) funded by the government of Japan. It discussed assessment methodologies to study plastic debris and its sources along the Mekong River.
The assessment, led by four Mekong universities, involved monitoring and collecting plastic debris and waste leakage in five sites in major Mekong cities – Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Can Tho (MRC, 2020). It provides Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam with scientific evidence on plastic debris, as well as plastic pollution and its threat to people and the environment (Greater Mekong Subregion, 2020).
Phase 2 of the CounterMEASURE project kicked off field surveys along the Mekong, mapping plastic leakage and hotspots (UNEP, 2021). The MRC Secretariat identified 12 ports and piers along the Mekong to assess plastic leakage and accumulation (UNEP, 2021). A number of other areas are also being surveyed in six project sites. The project will utilise Albatross, a microplastic sampling device developed by Pirika, Inc, and a citizen science mobile application tool developed by the Geoinformatic Centre of the Asian Institute of Technology (UNEP, 2021).
Phase 2 will also look for information on the impact of plastics on migratory species in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems (Convention on Migratory Species, 2021). This supports the implementation of Resolution 12.20 on Management of Marine Debris and Decisions 13.122 to 13.125 – Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Aquatic, Terrestrial and Avian Species of the Convention on Migratory Species (the Bonn Convention).
Convention on Migratory Species (2021), Promotion of Action Against Marine Plastic Litter in Asia and the Pacific (CounterMEASURE II). https://www.cms.int/en/project/countermeasure-ii-project (accessed 26 April 2021).
Greater Mekong Subregion (2020), Countries Undertake Assessment of Plastic Pollution in the Mekong River. https://www.greatermekong.org/countries-undertake-assessment-plastic-pollution-mekong-river (accessed 25 April 2021).
Mekong River Commission (MRC) (2013), Waste Management Guidelines: Prepared for Chiang Saen Commercial Port Area. https://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/basin-reports/Waste-Management-Guidelines-Sept2013.pdf (accessed 2 May 2021).
Mekong River Commission (MRC) (2020), Actions to address Mekong plastic pollution take shape. https://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/news/actions-to-address-mekong-plastic-pollution-take-shape/ (accessed 25 April 2021).
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2021), Field surveys begin in Mekong River for CounterMEASURE Phase 2. https://countermeasure.asia/field-surveys-begin-in-mekong-river-for-countermeasure-phase-2/ (accessed 25 April 2021).
