Various environmentalist groups described the reimportation of the controversial shipment of garbage to Canada as a victory for the Filipino people.
After six years, the 69 shipping containers of illegally dumped Canadian trash finally left the port of Subic midnight last Friday on its way back to the North American country to comply with the Basel Convention.
The Basel Convention prohibits the transportation of hazardous waste from country to country within the Pacific.
“[This is] a victory for the rule of law, morality, and the environment,” said Ecowaste Coalition, RightOnCanada, and IPEN in a joint statement.
“We feel jubilant that 69 containers of Canadian rubbish are now homeward bound after being stranded here for so long. The Philippines is not the world’s dumpsite. Never again shall we allow other countries to trash our dignity, our people’s health, and the environment,” said Aileen Lucero, Ecowaste national coordinator.
“This is a victory for the environment and a victory for the rule of law. The Canadian government is now finally going to comply with the Basel Convention and take responsibility for its own wastes. This is what environmental responsibility means,” added Kathleen Ruff of RightOnCanada.
From 2013 to 2014, more than 100 containers containing 2,400 tons of trash from Canada arrived in the Philippines, declared as scrap plastics for recycling but eventually found to contain unsorted plastics, household garbage, used adult diapers and electronic waste.
At least 48 container vans consigned to Live Green Enterprise arrived with no prior importation clearance from the Environmental Management Bureau in four batches between December 2013 to January 2014. Joel E. Zurbano
These shipments are separate from those arrived in July and August 2013. The shipper—Chronic Inc. which is based at 95 Regency Crescent Whtby, Ontario, Canada—also declared the shipment in its import document as plastic scraps.
While the return of Canada’s waste is a positive development, the groups noted that only over half, or 69 containers, of the original waste is being shipped back.
Twenty-six containers were already landfilled in the Philippines at the time when Canada disowned responsibility for the shipment, while the other eight containers were also disposed of locally, Ecowaste officials said.