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Mixed plastic waste from Hong Kong discovered in Misamis Oriental


Officials have discovered electronic trash from Hong Kong in Misamis Oriental, according to a report by Jun Veneracion in GMA's 24 Oras on Thursday.

The imported garbage is the latest in a series of discoveries by officials of the Bureau of Customs of shipments coming from Australia, Canada, and South Korea.

The shipment from Hong Kong arrived at the Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental in Mindanao last January and has since been abandoned.

Upon inspection, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) discovered 21 large bags that contain crushed electronic parts classified as mixed plastic waste.

The shipment from Hong Kong was initially declared as electronic accessories.

The broker of the shipment indicated that its office address was in Cagayan de Oro City but GMA News was not able to locate it. The consignee with a declared address in Pasay City has also relocated.

Meanwhile. the Ecowaste Coalition said the shipment was hazardous.

"Nakakaalarma ang pagpasok ng mga ganitong basura dahil hindi ito ordinary. Ito ay mga electronic waste na may taglay na mga peligrosong kemikal tulad ng cadmium, lead, mercury," said EcoWaste Coalition adviser Manny Calonzo.

After undergoing due legal process, the shipment shall be returned immediately to Hong Kong, according to the BOC.

The BOC also said that its monitoring efforts are ongoing as it believes that a bigger haul of similar imported waste from Hong Kong may have been shipped somewhere else in the country.

"Supposed to be 70 containers ito. So ang ginawa nila, nagparating muna ng isa kumbaga testing the water kung lulusot darating 'yung 69," said Joel Pinawin of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-CDO.

Prior to this, imported trash from South Korea, Canada, and Australia were also discovered in the country. — Dona Magsino/BAP, GMA News

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