Oh, Canada.
The Embassy of Canada in the Philippines said in a statement today that it is committed to collaborating with the Philippine government in taking back the garbage a Canadian company illegally dumped in the Philippines from 2013 – 2014.
The statement comes shortly after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to declare war against Canada because it still has not removed the trash from the country.
“[Canada] is aware of the court decision ordering the importer to ship the material back to Canada,” the statement read.
A Manila court ordered in 2016 for the garbage to be shipped back to Canada. However, this has not happened despite Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assurance to Duterte in 2017 that his government is committed to finding a solution to the problem.
The Canadian embassy said in its statement that a joint technical working group composed of officials from both Canada and the Philippines has been looking into the issues related to the removal of the waste.
Yesterday, Duterte said that he would declare war against Canada if they don’t take back their trash. He said in a mix of English and Filipino: “I will advise Canada that your garbage is on the way. Prepare a grand reception. Eat it if you want to.”
READ: ‘Eat it if you want to’: Duterte threatens war if Canada does not take back garbage
The Canadian embassy went on to say that in 2016, Canada amended its regulations around hazardous waste shipments “to prevent such events from happening again.”
The amendment was done so that Canada could meet its obligations under the Basel Convention, an international treaty created to reduce the transfer of hazardous waste between nations.
ABS-CBN News reported that as many as 103 containers with Canadian waste such as plastic bottles, bags, and even used adult diapers arrived in Manila from 2013 to 2014. The trash came from an Ontario-based company which wrongly declared the contents of the containers as recyclable materials.
The Canadian embassy’s statement also says that it will work with the Philippine government to ensure the materials are processed in an environmentally responsible way.
Duterte alleged yesterday that Canada has also offered grants if the Philippines agrees to accept their garbage, but he said he wouldn’t allow that.
He said: “They’re too much. They extend educational grants but on the condition that we will accept their shit and their garbage. I will not allow that. Load them [on a boat] and send it to them. [You should] celebrate because your garbage is coming home.”
On Jan. 30, environmental watchdog the EcoWaste Coalition sent a letter to Trudeau asking him to take back the Canadian garbage, but he has yet to respond.
