HAUL FROM HONGKONG A port officer shows big sacks of electronic waste shipped in containers to Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental province, from Hong Kong. The Bureau of Customs office in Mindanao impounded the illegal shipment. PHOTO COURTESY OF ECOWASTECOALITION
MANILA, Philippines — The electronic waste that arrived at the Mindanao International Container Terminal in January will be shipped back to Hong Kong on Monday, Deputy Customs Collector for Northern Mindanao John Simon said Sunday.
Simon said the waste is composed of crushed electronic materials that were declared as “electronic accessories” when it arrived in the country.
“Bukas na bukas [Monday] at around 9 a.m., ating itatapon pabalik ang basurang dinala ng Hong Kong sa atin,” Simon said in an interview over radio station DZBB.
Simon said it is important for the wastes to be immediately sent back to Hong Kong as they may possibly pose danger to the public and the environment.
“Ito ay napaka-significant kasi ito ay basura na masasabi nating pinaka-delikado sa lahat dahil ito po ang tinatawag nating e-waste,. Ang e-waste po ay napakataas ng chemical content, na pe-pwedeng magkaroon ng immediate hazard,” Simon said.
He added that port authorities ensured that the wastes are contained inside the sealed container to ensure that it would not pose problems to the nearby communities.
“Well, nanatili siya sa loob ng container. Hindi natin siya pinabayaang mapunta sa labas ng docking area. Sinecure natin siya kaagad. Hanggang sa hindi naresolba ang issue na ito, dun lamang siya sa…hindi natin siya pinalabas ng area na yun,” Simon said.
Asked if charges will be filed against those responsible for the shipment of the wastes to the Philippines, Simon said local authorities and Hong Kong authorities conducted investigation regarding the matter.
The Hong Kong trash — reportedly 25,610 kilos of crushed electronic materials — was discovered on May 22 before it could be claimed by the importer, Deputy Customs Collector for Northern Mindanao, Simon said in an earlier interview.
The cargo arrived on Jan. 2. It was shipped by Hin Yuen Tech. Env. Ltd. and was consigned to Crowd Win Industrial Ltd. of Pasay City.
“Medyo mautak itong mga nagpadala nito dahil sa Hong Kong nawawala na yung nagpadala, dito naman sa Pilipinas, disappearing act ang mga [tatanggap] nyan dito. Pinuntahan sa kani-kanilang lugar sa Pasay, fictitious ang kanilang mga idineklara na address,” Simon said.
“Ibig sabihin, talagang sila, ida-dump lang nila ito sa ‘tin,” he added.
READ: Duterte urged to also return garbage to HK, Australia
The wastes will be shipped back to Hong Kong after tons of garbage from Canada were also shipped back to the wastes’ country of origin.
The 69 containers of garbage were loaded overnight onto the MV Bavaria at Subic Bay Freeport on May 31. The wastes will be transported to Canada for 23 days until it arrives in Vancouver. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)
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