China, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines have promised to start working towards cleaner practices.
A recent paper has suggested that much of the marine plastic originates far from the oceans, particularly in developed consumer economies that have grown faster than their ability to manage waste.
The Helmholtz Centre in Leipzig, Germany, estimates that 75% of the land-borne marine pollutants predominantly come from just 10 rivers in Asia.
As reported by the BBC, at a UN ocean summit meeting in New York, the delegates from China, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines have pledged to start working towards keeping plastics out of the oceans.
Though some of the environmentalists suggest that the proposed actions arenot urgent enough, the UN has praised the statement and has suggested that it is part of an international shift against ocean pollution.
“There are quite encouraging signs, with nations taking thr oceans much more seriously. Of course, there is a very long way to go because the problems are very huge,” said Eric Solheim, the UN environment director.
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