This archive report was first published on 29 June 2019.
On June 29, 2019, a cargo vessel carrying 69 containers of Canadian garbage arrived in Vancouver, marking the end of a long-standing diplomatic dispute between Canada and the Philippines. The trash, which included a mixture of paper, plastics, electronics, and household waste, was shipped to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014 by a Canadian company, but was found to be mislabelled as recyclable plastics.
The issue had been a major point of contention between the two countries, with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatening to "declare war" against Canada in April unless the garbage was reclaimed. Canada missed a May 15 deadline to repatriate the rubbish, but later made arrangements to return it to Canadian soil. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna stated that Canada was working closely with the Philippines to resolve the issue.
Background ¶
The problem of plastic pollution has become a major global concern, with shocking images of waste-clogged rivers in Southeast Asia and accounts of dead sea creatures found with kilos of refuse in their stomachs. China, which had previously received the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world, closed its doors to foreign refuse last year, leading to a surge in waste plastic being redirected to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
In 2016, Canada amended its regulations on waste disposal to prevent incidents like the one with the Philippines. Canadian exporters now need a permit to export hazardous waste, which can only be obtained if the other country consents to the import. Despite these changes, challenges remain, with Malaysian officials criticizing Canada in May over a shipping container filled with contaminated plastic bags from major Canadian grocery chains.
Environmental Concerns ¶
Canada produces more waste per capita than other countries with comparable levels of economic development, with the majority ending up in landfills. Environmental advocates argue that developed countries should stop exporting their trash and figure out how to handle it domestically. Vito Buonsante, plastics program manager at Environmental Defense in Toronto, stated that "the way forward is to drastically reduce the amount of waste we generate, especially plastic waste".
