The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has foiled a misdeclared shipment containing assorted electronic wastes at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
A 40-footer consigned to Vision Restore and Equipment Corporation arrived at MICP on November 6, 2019 from South Korea and was declared to contain used TV parts and electric parts.
When examined by BOC-MICP and the Environment Protection Compliance Division (EPCD), the container was found to contain electronic wastes.
EPCD was created in July this year to address the unlawful entry of hazardous and other forms of waste into the Philippines.
MICP district collector Guillermo Pedro A. Francia IV on November 15 issued an alert order against the container and recommended the revocation of accreditation of the importer and the customs broker.
BOC will also order the consignee to re-export the shipment to its port of origin pursuant to Customs Memorandum Order No. 38-2019, which institutionalized the EPCD, in relation to the provisions of Section 14 of Republic Act No. 6969 and Article 8 of the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, to which both the Philippines and South Korea are signatories.
BOC said it will conduct an investigation to identify and charge the persons involved in the importation of the electronic wastes.