Return of South Korean trash set Jan. 9
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2019 08:52:30 +0000
ECOWASTE Coalition announces that the Philippines and South Korea governments have reached an agreement that will ensure the return of some 6,500 tons of mixed wastes stranded at Misamis Oriental to their origin in Pyeongtaek City. The target date of the return of 51 containers of garbage is January 09, 2019. (Alvin Kasiban)
THE 6,500 tons of illegally shipped waste materials now stranded in Misamis Oriental will be shipped back to Pyeongtaek City in South Korea on January 9.
Representatives of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the environmental group EcoWaste Coalition said an accord was reached by the Philippine and South Korean governments for the return of the 51 containers of trash to their place of origin.
John Simon, port collector at the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT), said they expect the 51 garbage-filled containers stored at MICT to be homebound by January 9 provided that all regulatory requirements are readily available.
“Their expedited re-export is what BoC wants and this is what our people are yearning for,” Simon said.
Aileen Lucero, national coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition, said the group looks to the “imminent return of the Korean mixed garbage shipments to their source’’.
The re-export of the 51 containers is estimated to cost US$47,430, specifically for inland and ocean freight charges.
As for the bulk Korean garbage shipments sitting at Verde Soko compound inside the Phividec Industrial Estate in Barangay Sta. Cruz,Tagoloan, Simon announced that arrangements will be made to get them re-exported within this month.
The agreement was made following a bilateral meeting between the two governments last December 27 and 28 at Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, which drew over 35 participants, including a four-member delegation from South Korea led by Mr. Lee Jong Min from the Ministry of Environment.
It can be recalled that a shipload of 5,176.91 metric tons of misdeclared “plastic synthetic flakes” exported by Green Soko Co. Ltd. and consigned to Verde Soko Philippines Industrial Corp. arrived at the MICT in July 2018 without prior import clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The same consignee facilitated the importation of additional 51 containers of “plastic synthetic flakes,” which arrived at the MICT in October 2018. (Chito Chavez)