The Philippines is now coordinating with the Canadian government on how to send back the trash that was illegally shipped into the country 3 years ago.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) says there are still around 100 container vans remaining because no other local government unit would accept it for disposal.
“We cannot just go into any place and dispose that. There’s a process to request permit in all municipality that it will pass during the shipment and the place of disposal will have a contract and also permit from the LGU,” Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said.
The BOC discovered the garbage in 2013 and 2014 when they were shipped into the country and misdeclared as recyclable materials.
The government filed a case in 2014 and on June 30, 2016. The Manila Regional Trial Court ruled to send it back to Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in his visit to the Philippines last year that they are trying to solve it thru legislation to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
The Ecowaste Coalition, on the other hand, says the Philippines and Canada are both signatory of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal.
It states that the shipment of hazardous waste from one country to another are prohibited and if that happens the country of origin should retrieve it.
Even the new DENR Secretary Gina Lopez is pushing for the deportation of the garbage back to Canada. — Rey Pelayo | UNTV News & Rescue
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