Toxic waste smuggled into PHL to be sent back to South Korea on Sunday

Fifty-one containers with hazardous waste from South Korea and smuggled into the Philippines have already been sealed and are set to be returned on Sunday following the recommendation by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The department said the move was to prevent the rotting toxic waste that was snuck into the country from further affecting the ports and ships.

John Simon, port collector at the Mindanao International Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, said the containers will be the first batch of waste materials to be sent back to South Korea.

He further said that about 200 containers with toxic waste including syringes, diapers, and other hospital wastes still needed to be rebagged then returned to the containers where they came from.

Simon said the Verde Soko Philippines Industrial Corporation, the consignee of the Korean garbage shipments, will be the company to rebag the waste in Sta. Cruz, while the South Korean government has already paid the commercial vessel that will be bringing the garbage back.

Simon explained the supposed return of waste to South Korea on January 9 did not push through due to the unavailability of the said commercial vessel.

The government aims to return all the waste from South Korea, including those at the Verde Soko compound, within this month.

The ceremonial re-exportation of toxic wastes from Korea will also be held on Sunday, to be attended by officials from the DENR, Bureau of Customs, city and provincial governments and environmental groups will attend the event.

An estimated 1,200 tons of trash from South Korea was intercepted in November last year following a random physical inspection by Bureau of Customs authorities.

The garbage was contained in 51 containers and arrived at the Mindanao International Container Terminal Port on October 21. — Athena Imperial and Jamil Santos/MDM, GMA News