Canada committed to take back garbage shipment – Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said he has committed to President Duterte that Canada will work to get back the garbage illegally shipped to the Philippines in 2013.

Trudeau, in a press conference at the International Media Center at the World Trade Convention Center in Pasay City, acknowledged that the garbage shipment is an issue that Canada has been trying to resolve.

“I know it has been a long-

standing irritant and I committed to him [Duterte], and I’m happy to commit to all of you now that Canada is very much engaged in finding a solution on that,” he said.

Trudeau also explained that Canada was not able to collect the garbage back due to legal restrictions on the part of their country which he noted were already resolved.

“One of the early barriers was the Canadian legal regulations, which prevented us from receiving the waste back in Canada, even though it originally came from us,” he said.

“Those regulations and impediments have now been addressed but there are still a number of questions like who will pay for, what are the consequences,” he added.

Trudeau, however, stressed that the shipment in question was a result of a private transaction and that the Canadian government did not play any role on it.

“This is a private transaction that does not involve the government,” he said.

In 2013, a total of 55 container vans of garbage from Canada were discovered by Customs authorities in the Manila seaport. The shipments were allowed into the country because they were allegedly disguised as recyclable plastics

Trudeau is in the Philippines to participate in the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related summits, including the East Asia Summit.

Despite his rockstar-like arrival last Sunday, environment activist Greenpeace urged Trudeau to take back the garbage that Canada dumped in the Philippines four years ago.

“His PR antic cannot cover the stinking Canadian waste issue as long as it is left rotting on our ports,” Greenpeace said.

“We welcomed him with our usual Filipino hospitality, fanfare and respect, we hope that he will also show respect to our country and our people by taking back their waste to Canada where it belongs,” it added.

Greenpeace also expressed hope that Trudeau will not let the garbage become Canada’s legacy in the Philippines.

Environmental justice group BAN Toxics urged the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to lodge a diplomatic protest against Canada to raise the matter again in the Basel Convention for proper proceedings to ensue.

Canada and the Philippines are both signatories to the Basel Convention, which is a global agreement against toxic waste dumping, and are legally bound to implement the provisions of the treaty.

“Until now Canada has not lifted a finger in the re-importation of their waste. A lot of talk and photo-ops from Mr. Trudeau, but he has let it languish in the Port of Manila for years. This is unacceptable,” Anna Kapunan, BAN Toxics’ Campaign and Advocacy Specialist, said. (With a report from Madelaine B. Miraflor)