It has been requested that countries located along the Mekong River, such as Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia, amongst others, take additional stringent steps to combat the pollution produced by plastics. These nations are located in Southeast Asia.

According to a study, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) suggested that the four member nations establish a "joint, permanent mechanism to monitor and clean up pollutants that infiltrate into the soil, air, and fisheries and may impact both the environment and human health." The findings of an investigation served as the foundation for the recommendation made by the MRC. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) conducted its first study on "riverine plastic pollution" in the Lower Mekong River Basin, and it recommended the implementation of new regulations and limits on the littering of rubbish, in addition to the so-called "3Rs model" of reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. These recommendations were made after the MRC conducted its first study on "riverine plastic pollution" in the Lower Mekong River Basin. In addition, it was suggested that the four take action to better limit the buildup of garbage made of plastic in rivers by adopting certain procedures. 

According to what was said in the aforementioned paper, these policies "should clarify who should do what, and identify the clear obligations of national government, local government, private sector, and community."
According to the Riverine Plastic Monitoring (RPM) Program that is run by the MRC, these four countries are on track to have produced an estimated eight million metric tons worth of waste made up of plastic by the year 2020. This number is based on projections made by the Riverine Plastic Monitoring (RPM) Program. It was revealed that plastic bottles, plastic bags, and styrofoam made up around 70% to 90% of the solid waste that was collected at ports and docks.

Anoulak Kittikhoun, the Chief Executive Officer of the MRC Secretariat, asserts that the many applications of plastic may be attributed to the material's low cost, low weight, high durability, widespread availability, and malleability. In other words, plastic is a versatile material. This is taking place at a period in which our area is through a period of significant economic expansion and urbanization.

In order to decrease the adverse effects on the Mekong and help contribute to the preservation of the ocean, he said that "we must address our gaps in knowledge on the flow, transport behavior, and route of plastic pollution."

Popular scientific publication According to the findings of a study that was carried out in 2018 at the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Germany, it was found that large rivers were the primary source of hundreds of metric tons of plastics that had begun to smother areas of several seas. This finding was made possible by the fact that large rivers are the primary source of plastic pollution in the world. This information was first presented in a paper that was published in Scientific American. It was decided by experts that the Mekong River is the tenth most responsible river in the whole globe. This conclusion was reached after the river was subjected to an evaluation.

According to the article, the next stage is to admit that "extensive solutions, involving multi-sectoral collaboration and oceanographic expertise," are needed to handle the complicated problem of plastic waste in rivers. This step is necessary in order to go on to the next phase.

In the report, it is said that "constant monitoring and data collection should lead to better, more effective regulations that manage and minimize plastic waste pollution." This may be accomplished via the use of "targeted enforcement and regular clean-up measures." [Further citation is required] [Further citation is required] [Further citation is required] [Further citation is required] [Further citation is required] [Citation