MANILA, Philippines – Tons of trash dumped in the Philippines last July will be shipped back to South Korea, environmental group EcoWaste Coalition said on Sunday, January 13.

Some 1,400 tons of illegal garbage exports were loaded onto MV Kalliroe at the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) and will depart for South Korea by midnight.

Over 5,000 tons more will be sent back by the end of January.

Garbage illegally exported to Misamis Oriental shipped back to South Koreahttps://t.co/5TkQxamknp pic.twitter.com/GtP2V5QwHI

— EcoWaste Coalition (@ecowaste_info) January 13, 2019

Aileen Lucero, national coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition, underscored that “sending the garbage back to its origin is only just, moral, and lawful.”

MICT Port Collector John Simon said the return of the waste to its origin country serves as a lesson to developed countries that small nations like the Philippines can put pressure and hold them accountable.

Authorities have determined that the waste shipments were misdeclared and posed risks to public health.

South Korea’s mixed plastic waste cargoes in 51 containers were wrongly declared as plastic synthetic flakes.

Inspectors found assorted plastics such as gloves and toothbrushes, as well as wood, broken glasses, and electronic equipment in the cargoes.

What about Canada?

While garbage from South Korea will be sent back, the waste from Canada sent to the Philippines back in 2013 is still here. (TIMELINE: Canada garbage shipped to the Philippines)

EcoWaste Coalition said the repatriation of the South Korea garbage to its source should rouse Canada into “resolving the festering garbage dumping controversy.” 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said back in 2017 that “it is now theoretically possible to get it back.” However, the Canadian government has remained silent on the issue since. – Rappler.com