Groups reveal gov’t
plan to dispose Canada waste in PHL
Press Release
October 9, 2014
MANILA – In a damning
exposé of the government’s lack of political will, environmental and
public health groups held a press conference today to uncover the plan
of government agencies to dispose of the illegally dumped Canadian
toxic wastes in the Philippines.
The groups revealed that
several government agencies led by the Department of Foreign Affairs,
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Bureau of Customs
are keen on disposing the illegally dumped Canadian toxic waste in the
country instead of fighting to have it sent back to Canada for
violating international law.
"I will not tolerate this
matter sitting down. As a legislator, I filed for a Congressional
Inquiry in aid of legislation the unlawful importation of the 50
container vans filled with garbage. Clearly, this (dumping of wastes
in our country) is a reflection of our dignity as a nation,” said Rep.
Leah Paquiz of AngNars Party-list.
Earlier this year, the
Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized 50 container vans containing various
waste materials and hazardous wastes imported from Canada, with the
consignee Chronic Plastics, Inc. declaring the shipment as ‘assorted
scrap plastic materials for recycling’. Last month, 16 container vans
have been sent to Subic Port to ease the congested Port of Manila.
“The unauthorized movement
of the illegal shipments to Subic is proof that plans are afoot to
have the waste shipments disposed in country. The letter from the DENR
reinforces and confirms this duplicitous intent on the part of our
government authorities. We find it outrageous that the primary
government agency mandated to protect the environment is the main
instigator of the proposal to have these illegal waste shipments
disposed of in our shores. Why should Filipino taxpayers bear the
burden associated with this illegal shipment?” said Von Hernandez,
President of EcoWaste Coalition and Executive Director of Greenpeace
Southeast Asia.
“This government proposal
sends a signal to unscrupulous and illegal waste traders to ship their
unwanted junk to the Philippines. There can be no compromises here,
this garbage shipment must be sent back to Canada, its country of
origin. The Philippine government must do everything it can to prevent
these incidents from happening ever again in the future, and it can
start doing that by ratifying the Basel Ban Amendment.” Hernandez
added.
The groups decry that
allowing the toxic waste shipment to be disposed of in Philippine
territory will set a wrong precedent for other countries to follow
suit. They fear that the country is being primed to be the world’s
toxic waste dumping site in the guise of “green jobs” for recycling.
“Illegal toxic waste trade
is an international crime. It is no different from dealing in illegal
drugs, endangered species, and other forms of trade that the
international community has deemed noxious,” explained Atty. Richard
Gutierrez, Executive Director of BAN Toxics.
“Why our government is even
contemplating on accepting these illegal wastes when international law
is behind us is exasperating,” Gutierrez added.
The importation violates a
number of local laws such as the DENR Administrative Order 28 (Interim
Guidelines for the Importation of Recyclable Materials Containing
Hazardous Substances) and Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid
Waste Management Act of 2000.
It also violates the Basel
Convention, which prohibits illegal toxic waste trade and mandates
such trade to be considered a criminal act. The Convention also
requires the exporting country, in this case Canada, to return the
illegally seized shipment and to pay the costs for the return.
“Pick up your garbage
Canada, and show us the decency that we so rightfully deserve as a
nation. My motherland is not a garbage bin of Canada," Paquiz said.
In an effort to gain public
attention on the issue, the coalition filed an online petition on
change.org that drew 23,600 signers, more than half of which are
Canadians. The group is encouraging more people to sign the online
petition to appeal and urge the Canadian embassy in the Philippines to
facilitate the pick up and return of the garbage back to the Canadian
soil.
Joining AngNars, BAN Toxics,
Greenpeace Southeast Asia, and Ecowaste Coalition are Mother Earth
Foundation, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Green
Convergence, and the Ateneo School of Government.