Water hyacinths have become a pest in many waterways in over 50 countries in the world. Lake Tom Lesap, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Southeast Asia, is affected by it. In Cambodia, local women are making fashionable bags from hyacinths. They cut them, dry them in the sun for 2 weeks, and then they wash them. The women lay the steam out on a wooden platform and steam the plants over charcoal to kill bacteria and get the right color.