An environmental coalition
has requested the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Environmental Management
Bureau (EMB) to publicly release the data gathered through a government study regarding
the content of some 48 abandoned shipping containers loaded with garbage from
Canada.
has requested the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Environmental Management
Bureau (EMB) to publicly release the data gathered through a government study regarding
the content of some 48 abandoned shipping containers loaded with garbage from
Canada.
The EcoWaste Coalition, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization
promoting chemical safety, zero waste and the people’s right to know and right
to participate in the conduct of public affairs, asked for full data disclosure
through a common letter sent to the BOC Commissioner Alberto Lina and EMB Director
Jonas Leones today.
promoting chemical safety, zero waste and the people’s right to know and right
to participate in the conduct of public affairs, asked for full data disclosure
through a common letter sent to the BOC Commissioner Alberto Lina and EMB Director
Jonas Leones today.
“In keeping with our watchdog role as a public interest environmental NGO, we
respectfully request the BOC and EMB to disclose the results of the waste
analysis and characterization study (WACS) conducted last June 19 on 16 of the
48 unclaimed shipping containers of Canadian garbage now lying at Subic Port,” said Aileen Lucero, Coordinator, EcoWaste
Coalition.
respectfully request the BOC and EMB to disclose the results of the waste
analysis and characterization study (WACS) conducted last June 19 on 16 of the
48 unclaimed shipping containers of Canadian garbage now lying at Subic Port,” said Aileen Lucero, Coordinator, EcoWaste
Coalition.
The “plastic scraps” were imported from Canada by Live Green Enterprise, based out
of San Fernando City in Pampanga, without prior importation clearance as
confirmed by EMB. The consignments
arrived in four batches between December 2013 to January 2014 and had since
then left unclaimed.
of San Fernando City in Pampanga, without prior importation clearance as
confirmed by EMB. The consignments
arrived in four batches between December 2013 to January 2014 and had since
then left unclaimed.
“The immediate disclosure of the WACS results, along with the photographs
taken, will remove the veil of secrecy surrounding the study, which was
conducted without the civil society and the media being informed and invited to
observe the activity,” Lucero said.
taken, will remove the veil of secrecy surrounding the study, which was
conducted without the civil society and the media being informed and invited to
observe the activity,” Lucero said.
The EcoWaste Coalition had previously suggested
to BOC that such inspection be conducted in a transparent way.
to BOC that such inspection be conducted in a transparent way.
BOC Commissioner Lina had earlier written to the EcoWaste Coalition expressing
that “the BOC appreciates (the group’s) efforts to helping and supporting the
Philippine government, particularly the Bureau, in battling the illegal trade
of hazardous wastes.”
that “the BOC appreciates (the group’s) efforts to helping and supporting the
Philippine government, particularly the Bureau, in battling the illegal trade
of hazardous wastes.”
Lina assured that “this administration remains committed in curtailing the
illegal importations of these articles and that our ports will continue to be
vigilant in monitoring all shipments coming in to our country.”
illegal importations of these articles and that our ports will continue to be
vigilant in monitoring all shipments coming in to our country.”
“As the Philippines is not a dumpsite for residual wastes masked as ‘plastic
scraps’ for recycling, we urge both the BOC and the EMB to push for the
immediate return of the botched garbage shipments for environmentally-sound
disposal in Canada,” Lucero stated, reiterating a demand that is also shared by
other concerned environmental, labor, church and party-list groups.
scraps’ for recycling, we urge both the BOC and the EMB to push for the
immediate return of the botched garbage shipments for environmentally-sound
disposal in Canada,” Lucero stated, reiterating a demand that is also shared by
other concerned environmental, labor, church and party-list groups.
The EcoWaste Coalition had rejected the disposal of the illegal garbage
shipments in a landfill facility in Capas, Tarlac, describing it as “a brazen travesty
of environmental justice.”
shipments in a landfill facility in Capas, Tarlac, describing it as “a brazen travesty
of environmental justice.”
“Allowing the landfilling of Canadian garbage into our soil would send a very
wrong and dangerous signal to waste traders that the Philippines, despite the
legal restrictions, is an open place where the refuse of affluent societies
masked as ‘plastic scraps’ can be sent for disposal,” the EcoWaste Coalition
told BOC and EMB.
wrong and dangerous signal to waste traders that the Philippines, despite the
legal restrictions, is an open place where the refuse of affluent societies
masked as ‘plastic scraps’ can be sent for disposal,” the EcoWaste Coalition
told BOC and EMB.
“We need not belabor the fact that our country is already producing too much domestic
waste, which is projected to increase from 38,757 tons per day in 2014 to
39,422 tons per day in 2015, and that our landfills, rightly described as
“glorified dumpsites” by critics, are bursting at the seams,” the group
emphasized.
waste, which is projected to increase from 38,757 tons per day in 2014 to
39,422 tons per day in 2015, and that our landfills, rightly described as
“glorified dumpsites” by critics, are bursting at the seams,” the group
emphasized.
What Pope Francis said in his encyclical letter “Laudato Si” that “the earth,
our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth”
resonates 100% in what is happening in our country today and that “permitting
Canadian garbage to get disposed of locally would only aggravate the filthiness
we find ourselves in,” the group noted.
our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth”
resonates 100% in what is happening in our country today and that “permitting
Canadian garbage to get disposed of locally would only aggravate the filthiness
we find ourselves in,” the group noted.
In their letter to the BOC and EMB, the EcoWaste Coalition called upon the
government to determinedly exhaust all means to compel Canada to take back
their trash.
government to determinedly exhaust all means to compel Canada to take back
their trash.
“This (the return of Canada’s trash) will demonstrate that our government means
business when it comes to protecting the public health and the environment from
illegal waste trade, and that garbage smugglers cannot get away with their criminal
act with a mere slap on the wrist,” the group said.
business when it comes to protecting the public health and the environment from
illegal waste trade, and that garbage smugglers cannot get away with their criminal
act with a mere slap on the wrist,” the group said.
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