Smuggling raps lodged vs importer of solid wastes from Canada

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) yesterday filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) smuggling charges against the owner of Live Green Enterprises, who allegedly imported and misdeclared municipal solid wastes from Canada.

The respondent was identified as Nelson Manio, owner and proprietor of the Pampanga-based Live Green Enterprises.

Manio purportedly illegally imported 48 shipping containers of municipal solid wastes from Vancouver, Canada, which were misdeclared as plastic scraps. The shipments entered through the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

 The BOC yesterday sued Manio for violation of Sections 3601 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order 1994-28, or the “Interim Guidelines in the Importation of Recyclable Material Containing Hazardous Substances.”

Under the law, only homogeneous plastic scrap materials are allowable regulated imports but with necessary pre-shipment importation clearance from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau.

The DENR order also provides that “no importation of heterogenous and unsorted plastic materials shall be allowed” and that “all plastics should have no traces of toxic materials.”

“It is very clear that these waste materials were shipped to the Philippines illegally. That is why we have filed the necessary case against Live Green Enterprises to make sure that those responsible for importing these waste materials be punished in accordance with the law,” BOC commissioner Alberto Lina said.

 The BOC discovered the shipment in May after all ports were instructed to submit an inventory list of all overstaying cargoes.

Documents identified Demetrios Jim Makris of Chronic Inc. Canada as the importer.

The 55 container vans of heterogeneous wastes discovered last year were also consigned to Makris and Chronic.

In February 2014, the BOC filed charges before the DOJ against the owner and customs brokers of Chronic.

As a result of these discoveries, Lina said they would undertake measures to ensure the cancellation of the accreditation of companies engaged in the importation of heterogeneous wastes.

Environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition yesterday lauded the legal action taken by BOC authorities.

“We welcome BOC’s legal action against the garbage importer that we hope will be expeditiously tackled by the proper court,” said Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste Coalition coordinator.

“The court should order the importer to immediately re-export the garbage to Canada and set a unequivocal ruling that will severely castigate and punish any attempt to make our country into a global trash bin,” Lucero added.

In a letter dated June 25, EcoWaste called on the bureau to “push for the immediate return of the botched garbage shipments” for disposal in Canada.

The group also urged the BOC to pay attention to the entry of materials declared as “recyclable plastic scraps, which could be a smokescreen for the illegal entry of residual wastes collected from households.” – With Rhodina Villanueva