WUHAN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF LAW

WATER POLLUTION IN MYANMAR

Student Name : Laet Yin Win

Student ID : 2019271060022
Subject : International Environmental Law
Contents
Introduction

1. Myanmar Water sources and Causes of Water Pollution.......................................................................... 3

1.1 Agriculture (Chemical Fertilizer and Pesticides) .................................................................................. 4
1.2 Industry and Mining .............................................................................................................................. 5
1.3 Urban Waste Discharge ........................................................................................................................ 5
2. Consequences of Water Pollution in Myanmar .................................................................................... 6
2.1 Health Problems ................................................................................................................................ 6
2.2 Damage to the Natural Environment ................................................................................................ 6
3. Existing Policies and National Action Plans..................................................................................... 7
3.1 Global Framework ........................................................................................................................ 8
3.2 Policy options................................................................................................................................ 8
Conclusion
Introduction
It is undeniable that water is the most essential substance on the world. Without water,
nobody can survive and the consumption of clean water is vital for human health. Therefore, what
people need is not just water, but access to water that is clean. Today, the world’s nations,
especially those that are developing, are facing a severe threat in respect of water pollution, which
has a negative impact on the natural environment, human health and on a country’s social and
economic growth. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2 billion people
use contaminated drinking water globally. 1 Because of financial constraints, developing countries
are not able to provide sufficient facilities to handle wastewater and control water pollution. Heavy
metals from industrial process, industrial waste, microbial pollutants from sewage, organic matter
and nutrients, as well as suspended particles, are common water pollutants. Like many other
developing nations, Myanmar is facing challenges related to water pollution. 2

1. Myanmar Water sources and Causes of Water Pollution

Myanmar is a Southeast Asian country with a total area of 676,590 km2 and a coastline that
is 2,400 km long. The country’s southern coastline lies on the Andaman Sea and to the southwest of
the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar has abundant water resources, with eight major river basins that cover
90% of the country’s territory as well as sizeable lakes.
A natural resource is something that comes from the natural environment that people can
use. Water is a natural resource, as is air, coal, oil and natural gas, among others. Water resources
come in many forms, but the three main categories are saltwater, groundwater and surface water.
The major uses of water are agricultural, industrial and domestic use. Natural resources like water
are not only used by people, but by all living things that require water to grow and reproduce.
Myanmar currently uses less than 5% of the renewable water resource available to it. Of the
water it withdraws, around 89% is for agriculture, 10% for municipalities, and 1% for industry.
This is a higher agricultural average than for Asia as a whole, reflecting the lower level of
industrialization and urbanization in Myanmar. Approximately 91% of Myanmar’s total water
withdrawal comes from surface water, and 9% from groundwater.
Water pollution is any change in the physical, chemical or biological properties of water
that will have a detrimental consequence on any living organism. Contamination of water bodies
happens both naturally and by human activity.
Water pollution happens naturally when naturally occurring chemicals, dissolved in water,
change in concentration (such as sodium, chloride or sulphate). This is called the sediment cycle,
which starts with the process of erosion, whereby particles or fragments are weathered from rock
material followed by the erosion of minerals, their transport and deposition, then burial. Action by
water, wind, glaciers, and plant and animal activities all contribute to the erosion of the earth's

1
World Health Organization, (2019). Drinking- water. Available at : https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/
detail/drinking-water
2
Dakkak, A (2016). Water Pollution Worries in the Developing World.
surface. Fluvial sediment is the term used to describe the case where water is the key agent for
erosion.
Changes in geology, the closeness to the sea, and the progress of water downstream from
headwaters can all give rise to natural forms of chemical pollution. For example, Myanmar’s
groundwater near the coast is saline, and inland it is contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic
that harms living organisms.
Sediment plays a major role in the transport and fate of pollutants. Toxic chemicals can
become attached or absorbed by sediment particles and then transported and deposited in other
areas. These pollutants may later be released into the environment. Furthermore, contaminants
accumulate over long periods of time in the sediments. Some toxic substances that may reside in
the sediment (e.g. mercury) can re-enter the water system when the sediments are dredged.
But as well as natural forms of water pollution, human activity adds contaminants to water
courses that more substantially disrupt normal environmental processes as the following two case
studies demonstrate.
In this briefing note, the sources of water pollution are categorized in three sections that are
the major contributors of water pollution:
(1) Agriculture (chemical fertilizer and pesticides);
(2) Industry and mining
(3) Urban waste discharge.

1.1 Agriculture (Chemical Fertilizer and Pesticides)

Around 70 percent of water consumption is for agricultural purposes, which makes
agriculture one of the main causes of water pollution. Large amounts of chemicals from the
agricultural sector, as well as organic matter, leftovers from drug use for animals, and saline
drainage, are being released from farms and paddy fields into water bodies every day. According to
statistic from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), each year over USD 35 billion worth
of pesticides are used worldwide. 3 However, many farmers do not have adequate h\knowledge
about how to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides properly and very few farmers fully understand
the effects of overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Overuse can negatively impact soil and
water quality as well as increase minerals in bodies of water (known as ‘eutrophication’) which can
lead to algae blooms that ate harmful for the ecosystem. 4 Substances like sulphur, potassium,
magnesium and nitrogen in chemical pesticides and fertilizers can degrade the quality of soil and
water. That is why the agricultural sector is one of the main causes of water pollution in Myanmar. 5

3
Mateo-Sagasta, J., Marjani Zadeh, S. and Turral, H. (2017). Water Pollution from agriculture: a global review. Rome:
Food and Agriculture Organization. Available at: http://www.fao.org/landwater/news-archive/news-
detail/en/c/1032702/
4
Roelofsen,P., Aung, M.and Hnin Yu, K. (2015). Chemical and organic fertilizer market in relation to the interests of
small farmers in Myanmar
5
Raitzer, D. A., Wong, L.C. Y. and Samson, J. n. G (2015). Myanmar’s Agriculture Sector: Unlocking the Potential for
Inclusive Growth. Working Paper Series No. 470. Asian Development Bank
1.2 Industry and Mining
The Industrial sector plays a crucial role in the development of a country. However, many
industries do not sufficiently treat wastewater before discharging it into eater bodies. There are
hundreds of industrial zones in Myanmar and most of them are composed of small-scale industries.
Those small industries do not have enough capital to invest in pollution control equipment. While
the industrial sector is growing rapidly, but the government planning is struggling to keep up with
this industrial growth. Implementation and enforcement of regulations surrounding, for instance,
proper waste disposal sites, and pollution control laws in order to limit the negative impacts of
industrial growth are hard to achieve in a rapidly developing industrial landscape. According to
research by the Green Motherland Development Association in two industrial zones, Hlaing
Tharyar and Shwe Pyi Thar, the pollutant level in wastewater has risen over the past three
years. 6 Industrial water pollution is in part caused by the extraction of minerals through mining
and drilling for oil and gas: chemicals such as arsenic, sulfuric acid and mercury used in mining
are significant water pollutants. 7

1.3 Urban Waste Discharge

In common with other counties, Myanmar has been experiencing rapid urbanization. This
has made it difficult to keep up with the need for infrastructure could provide effective waste
management systems in urban areas. Therefore, people dump their domestic waste in the street
and open spaces or discharge it into water bodies. According to the World Bank, Myanmar
creates an estimated 0.39 kilograms of waste per person per day. This means that over 20 million
kilograms of waste is created daily in Myanmar, and this amount is expected to continue to
escalate in coming years.8
In the rainy season, people in major cities, especially in Yangon, suffer from floods since
rubbish blocks the drainage systems. In Yangon, there are 50 open channels flowing out into
six major rivers and these constitute one of the major sources of water pollution. Many
factories and industrial zones are situated in Yangon and Mandalay, and they, too, discharge a
huge mass of waste into water bodies daily. 9

6
Wine Phyu Phyu, K. (2016). Industrial zone waste water shows rising pollution. Myanmar Times, [online]. Available
at: https://www.mmtimes.com/business/18303-industrial-zone-waste-water- shows-rising-pollution.html
7
Myint, S. (2017). Water Pollution Control Challenges in Myanmar.
8
Kaza, S., Yao, L. C., Bhada-Tata, P., Van Woerden, F. (2018). What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste
Management to 2050. Washington, DC: World Bank. Available at: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/
handle/10986/30317
9
Gamaralalage, P. J. D., Hengesbaugh, M. and May Tin Hlaing, O. (2016). Quick Study on Waste Management in
Myanmar: Current Situation and Key Challenges. In: First National/City Workshops for Developing National/City
Waste Management Strategies in Myanmar 13-17 June 2016, Nay Pyi Taw & Mandalay, Myanmar. [online] Institute
for Global Environmental Strategies. Available at: https://pub.iges.or.jp/pub/quick-study-waste-management-myanmar-
current
2. Consequences of Water Pollution in Myanmar
Water pollution has many consequences. It can, for instance have an indirect negative
impact on the climate, as polluted water may kill aquatic plants that would otherwise help to
reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Human health is also threatened by water pollution when
humans use contaminated water. The consequences will be outlined in detail below, first in
relation to human health and then in relation to the natural environment.

2.1 Health Problems

Drinking clean water is vital for human health. Diseases that cause diarrhea, such as
cholera, as well as other serious illnesses including typhoid and dysentery, can be caused by
drinking unclean water. Water-borne diseases can spread through contaminated water. Developing
countries face more health problems caused by contaminated water than is the case among
inhabitants in the developed world. Rural inhabitants suffer more than people who live in urban
locations from the consequences of water pollution, as they have lower access to treated water.
According to research by the Occupational and Environmental Health Division (OEHD)
under the Ministry Health and Sports, released in 2018, over 29 percent of the sources of
domestic water in the Ayeyarwaddy region were contaminated with levels of arsenic higher than
the WHO standards, and over 8 percent were contaminated at levels that were more than five
times higher. In the Bago region, over 41 percent of domestic water supply sources had
arsenic levels that were above WHO standards, with 8 percent, again, that were five times the
limit.10

2.2 Damage to the Natural Environment

In Myanmar, the natural environment is severely threatened by water pollution. For
example, Inlay Lake, the second largest inland lake in Myanmar, is facing this problem. Local
people use chemical fertilizers and insecticides in their floating farms and this causes water
pollution. In some areas of Inlay Lake, poison has been found in some fish and vegetables,
especially in tomatoes, which constitute the main product of Inlay Lake. This poses a danger both
to the people who live in Inlay Lake and to the customers who eat tomatoes and fish from this
source. 11
The Ayeyarwaddy River, the most important river for the livelihoods of the Myanmar
people, is facing degradation in its water quality. People discharge waste directly into the river,
and contaminated water from local businesses, along with pesticides and fertilizers from farms,
pollutes the river water. The levels of poisonous chemicals such as cyanide and arsenic in river
water are increasing. As millions of people depend on Ayeyarwaddy River water for household

10
Department of Public Health: Occupational and Environmental Health Division, (2018).Environmental Health in
Myanmar. Ministry of Health and Sports. Available at: https://themimu.info/sites/themimu.info/files/documents/Core_
Doc_Environmental_Health_in_Myanmar_Feb2018.pdf
11
Weng, L. (2010). Chemicals and Drought Destroying Inle Lake. The Irrawaddy. [online]. Available at: https://www2.
irrawaddy. com/article.php?art_id=18725
use, the contamination of this river can cause serious health problems. The contaminated water
can also harm the ecosystem. 12
The United Nations has issued warnings about the contamination of water and the
improper disposal of waste into marine water. In addition to pollution from human waste, water
bodies are also at risk of acidification as they absorb the carbon dioxide that humans expel; ocean
acidification has increased 26 percent since the beginning of the industrial revolution.13

3. Existing Policies and National Action Plans

Most countries have enacted policies, laws, rules, and regulations to control water pollution.
The government has enacted many policies and has been implementing many projects to control
water pollution. Myanmar has a number of sectoral laws that are related to the protection and
conservation of natural resources and to controlling pollution: 14
1. The Factories Act 1951 controls factories involved with chemicals, particularly those that
are hazardous or toxic;
2. The Forest Law 2018 designates all mangrove forests as Protected Areas. Fishing within
a three-hundred-yard limit around a mangrove area is strictly prohibited;
3. The Pesticide Law 1990 monitors and controls the selection, storage, transportation and
use of pesticides;
4. The Myanmar Marine Law 1994 promotes the safe disposal of waste, tailings and fumes;
5. The Myanmar Pearl Law 1993 protects and conserves the pearl oyster fishing grounds
from destruction, and oysters from over-fishing;
6. The Water Power Act 1927 prohibits the pollution of public water sources to obtain
Energy or for mining purposes;
7. The Law Relating to Aquaculture 1989, the Law Relating to the Fishing Rights of
Foreign Fishing Vessels 1989, the Myanmar Marine Fisheries Law 1990 and the
Freshwater Fisheries Law 1991 provides for the further development of fisheries,
preventing overfishing, safeguarding and protecting fishing grounds and managing
fisheries. These laws prohibit fishing without a license, causing water pollution and the
use of destructive fishing practices, and promote the sustainable use of fishery resources;
8. The Territorial Sea and Maritime Zone Law 1997 defines and determines the maritime
zones, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones and continental shelf in respect of the
preservation and protection of the marine environment and its resources, as well as the
control of marine pollution;

12
Bowles, J. (2013). Ayeyarwaddy, The River Endangered. Myanmar Development Research Institute (MDRI).
13
United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.) Sustainable Development Goals. [online] United Nations
Development Programme. Available at: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-
goals.html
14
Myint, P. (2004). National Report of Myanmar on the Sustainable Management of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine
Ecosystem (BOBLME). The Bay Of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project. Available at: https://www.boblme.org/
documentRepository/Nat_Myanmar.pdf
 9. The Ministry of Industry (1) issued a standing order in 1995 on water and air pollution
to limit damage to the environment by waste discharged from factories;
10. The Myanmar Investment Commission issued a notification in 1994 specifying that it
was compulsory for all permitted enterprises to install sewage treatment plants, industrial
waste water treatment plants and other pollution control procedures and abide by
existing sanitary and health regulations set by the State.

3.1 Global Framework

As water pollution and access to clean water have become global concerns, the United
Nations has set up the following two practical goals within the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) that are related to water:
SDGs- 6. Clean water and sanitation;
SDGs- 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.
In order to fulfill the SDGs of the UN, countries throughout the world need to
increase their investment in the management of freshwater ecosystems and sanitation facilities
in order to provide people with clean water and adequate sanitation facilities. They are also
required to effectively conserve marine Protected Areas and implement the relevant laws,
rules and regulations in order to reduce overfishing, marine pollution and ocean acidification.15
Myanmar’s Ministry of Finance and Planning released a ‘Sustainable Development Plan’
for the period 2018-2030. This includes seven concrete action plans related to water resources,
which the document explicitly links to SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation. The action plans
revolve around the management of water at the township or village level, improvements in
infrastructure, the provision of education and awareness-raising campaigns about water and
waste handling, and the building of partnerships across the region to achieve all of these
aims. 16

3.2 Policy options

Many measures could be adopted to control water pollution. Some of these are as follows:
1. Cleaning up water bodies
2. Proper use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers
3. Encouraging factories and industries to use safe run-off practices
4. Awareness-raising and educating people about water pollution and its consequences
Removing contaminants from water is difficult and is only effective if the source of
contamination is removed first. In other words, it is important to prevent further waste from
reaching the water before clean-up is started. 17 Although Myanmar does have anti-littering laws,

15
. United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.) Sustainable Development Goals. [online] United Nations
Development Programme. Available at: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-
goals.html
16
. Ministry of Finance and Planning. (2018) Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan 2018 – 2030. Ministry of
Finance and Planning. Available at: http://themimu.info/sites/themimu.info/files/documents/Core_
Doc_Myanmar_Sustainable Development_Plan_2018_-_2030_Aug2018.pdf
17
Safe Drinking Water Foundation. (n.d.). Cleaning Up After Pollution. [online] Safe Drinking Water Foundation.
Available at: https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/cleaning-up-after- pollution
these are not strictly enforced. While awareness-raising campaigns have been mounted, their
effectiveness might be improved if they were run in tandem with stricter enforcement of littering
laws through fines.
As Myanmar is an agricultural and developing country, it is impractical to forbid the
use of all chemical pesticides and fertilizers. However, such products are a big factor in water
pollution. Therefore, the enforcement of the pesticide law is important. 18
Some factories and industries discharge waste water directly into water bodies, which can
negatively affect the water quality. Therefore, encouraging factories and industries to avoid such
practices and to instead conduct safe run-off practices could help to significantly reduce the
pollution of water bodies.
One of the main causes of water pollution in Myanmar is that ordinary people do not
properly understand the negative consequences of water pollution. Therefore, public awareness
about water pollution and its consequences could be promoted nationwide.

Conclusion
Water pollution - the contamination of water bodies by toxic and harmful chemicals,
materials, contaminants and compounds - has become a global issue. The main causes include the
improper disposal of waste, urbanization, industrialization, mining, and agriculture. The large-
scale contamination of water has many undesirable consequences: it causes serious health
problems, and harms ecosystems and the natural environment as well as a country’s economy.
Myanmar’s economy has traditionally been agriculture based, but it currently has a
growing industrial sector. In addition, Myanmar has many natural mineral resources.
Unsurprisingly, mining, agriculture and industry are the main sources of water pollution.
Tightened regulations and the use of best practices are necessary to ensure that these
economically important sectors minimize their impact on Myanmar’s clean water.
There is also an issue of water pollution at the household level, as many people are
unfamiliar with the rules, laws, and regulations surrounding pollution. This means that they
intentionally or unintentionally break the rules and regulations. Therefore, a long-term solution
might be an increase in the number of public awareness-raising campaigns run by the government
itself or in partnership with private bodies. These campaigns could be linked to existing
educational projects. Effective enforcement of existing laws and regulations through fines could
help to prevent pollution in the meantime.

18
. Utah State University Extension. (n.d.). Best Management Practices. [online] Utah State University Extension.
Available at: http://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/protectyourwater/howtoprotectwaterquality/bmps/index