Mixed wastes from South Korea poses health threats —environmental group

The environmental justice group Ban Toxics pointed out Wednesday that the garbage imports from South Korea found in Cagayan de Oro were mixed wastes that are detrimental to one's health.

"'Yung area kung saan siya naimbak, naka-expose siya tapos nakatambak lang doon. Puwedeng pumasok 'yung tagas sa lupa, puwedeng kumalat sa hangin na makakaapekto sa mga tao," said Ban Toxics campaigns and advocacy specialist Anna Kapunan in an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

If hospital wastes are present, bacterial and viral infection may also spread in the area, she added.

Kapunan said importing mixed wastes violates the Basel Convention, a treaty that controls the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes.

Recyclable wastes, however, are allowed to be imported, provided that these are properly segregated and declared upon shipment.

This is not the case with the hundreds of bales of garbage recently found in Cagayan de Oro, she underscored.

The garbage arrived in June 2018 at the Mindanao International Container Terminal.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said it is possible the shipment slipped through the Bureau of Customs by misdeclaration. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.

Ban Toxics said the incident is "clearly a violation of the environmental rights of our fellow Filipinos in Tagaloan, Misamis Oriental as they are exposed to potentially hazardous wastes from a foreign country."

In 2013, fifty containers of waste from Canada were impounded by Philippine customs authorities and left to rot in the ports.

Canada said last year that it is “theoretically possible” to get back the tons of Canadian waste shipment.

Ban Toxics appealed to the executive branch of the government to recommend to the Senate the ratification of the ban amendment in the Basel Convention in order to put an end to the shipment of garbage from other countries. —Dona Magsino/KG, GMA News