POSTED ON JULY 28, 2015 AT 12:01 AM IT IS just getting worse than ever—and now our country has literally become a dumpsite for wastes and other garbage from other countries, after 48 container vans containing imported garbage have been discovered in the Philippine port this May, aside from the first 50 container vans shipped in 2013. These imported waste can’t be returned to the Canadian government because these were illegally shipped out of Canada, and in a meeting held on April 24, Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder told the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that Canada “would like to explore with the Philippines options for processing the rest of the shipment – in accordance with Philippine law – in the Philippines.” Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials have discovered mixed garbage, including non-recyclable plastics, waste paper, household waste, and used adult diapers after 18 container vans have been opened. Reports from the BoC and DENR state that there has been a misdeclaration of contents by the shipper, Chronic Incorporated, a private company in Ontario, Company owned by Jim Makris who consigned the shipment to a Philippine-based company, Chronic Plastics. A few weeks ago, it was discovered that at least 26 container vans of trash have already been dumped in landfill in Capas, Tarlac owned by Metro Clark Waste Management Corp., and the other wastes which will allegedly be transferred in different parts of Luzon based on a resolution that urges the investigation of the dumping of illegally shipped garbage from Canada in Philippine landfills filed by congressmen Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate of the Bayan Muna Partylist. Legally speaking, the shipment of these waste materials from Canada is a clear violation of RA 6969 also known as “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.” In the same manner, pursuant to the BASEL Convention or also “On the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal,” the importation constitutes illegal trade. In the said convention, the movement of mixed waste between countries is prohibited as the primary objective of this treaty is “to protect human health and environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes.” Psychologically and emotionally speaking, this imported garbage is clearly an unethical and disgraceful act by the Canadian government. It doesn’t mean that the Philippines is a third-world country, developed and first-world countries such as Canada can make us into a dump site and ditch their unwanted trashes. For crying out loud, the Philippines already has its own share of mess around that we cannot afford to accommodate trash from other countries. It is also quite unfair as we are trying to become more ecologically responsible as we have moved from plastic to paper and managing our wastes properly. It’s such as a shame for a developed country like Canada to have resorted into this unfair practice of dumping wastes in other countries such as ours. All of us Filipinos should make a bold stand and assert our right to our own land. Now is the time for us to show our love for our country and because of that, we should stop the dumping of illegal wastes in our motherland. • Other Related Articles Environmentalist bares illegal garbage dump in Angeles City ANGELES CITY--A known environmentalist here has hit village and city officials who allowed the burning... Junkshop operators wooed to help solve garbage problem CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Gov. Lilia Pineda appealed again for the support of the Pampanga Junkshop Federation... Pampanga taps green firm to dispose plastics MABALACAT CITY—The provincial government has tapped a solid waste management company to properly dispose... DOE, DENR issue order on mercury lamp disposal MABALACAT CITY -- The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources... http://www.headlinegl.com/the-philippines-is-not-a-junkyard/