Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Friday, May 24, said the Philippine government will be sending back to Hong Kong its garbage that was shipped to the country early this year.
In his statement, the Palace official commended the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for discovering the entry of “mixed plastic wastes” from Hong Kong into Misamis Oriental. The garbage, declared as “assorted electronic accessories,” reportedly arrived at Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) in January.
“We understand that the BOC would export this illegal shipment back to its port of origin,” Panelo said.
“We call on concerned agencies of the government to continue exercising vigilance and hinder the entry of such shipments of garbage into our territorial jurisdiction at the first instance,” he added.
The spokesman also maintained that the Philippines “will not allow its territory to be treated as a dumping ground for trash by any foreign country or entity.”
Waste and pollution watch group EcoWaste Coalition has denounced the trash shipment from Hong Kong, which came amid another garbage issue between the Philippines and Canada.
The group said they find it “truly ironic” that the trash came from Hong Kong, noting that China took an “unprecedented move to protect its own environment” when it earlier banned waste imports, including electronic and plastic scraps, from being dumped in their country.
“We, therefore, request the Chinese government to seriously look into this matter” Aileen Lucero, national coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition, urged.
Lucero also reiterated their call for a “comprehensive and immediate ban on waste imports” and the ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment which, she said, seeks to prohibit the export of hazardous wastes and other wasted from developed to developing countries.
The BOC regional office in Northern Mindanao previously issued an alert order as well as a warrant of seizure and detention last February 19 and March 7, respectively, over the misdeclaration and lack of permit of the said shipment.