Semiconductor firms, recyclers split on waste importation issue

The semiconductor industry is opposed to the shipment of toxic and hazardous wastes from the US to the Philippines, but local waste recycling companies want to be allowed to import industrial waste such as lead battery acid to fill up their raw material requirements.

In a position paper, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) said allowing the importation of hazardous waste in the country is "not wise at this time" due to lack of adequate facilities in the Philippines.

The US itself according to SEIPI, is not in a legal position to control the export of hazardous materials because it has not ratified the implementing legislation for the Basle Convention which limits the shipment of toxic and hazardous wastes between countries.

Because the US is not a signatory to the Basle Convention, the only way it can export or import waste is by entering into bilateral agreements with individual countries. Even then, other bilateral agreements the US has entered into, SEIPI said, are all one-way, limiting the movement of waste into the US. So far, the US has such agreements with Malaysia and Costa Rica.

"SEIPI therefore objects to the inclusion in the draft agreement of the proposal of a two-way exports or the importation of hazardous waste [to] the Philippines from the United States," the group said.

Local recycling companies are lobbying for a two-way transboundary movement of toxic wastes, a position backed by the Federation of Philippine Industries which said that the one-way agreement is acceptable as long as it does not "impede the inward movement of wastes used as raw materials by other industries."

Intel Technologies spokesman Sonny Ordona said in a statement that semiconductor firms want only a one-way transboundary movement of toxic wastes and it is the Philippine Recylers Industries lobbying for a two-way agreement.

"[Learning] of the proposed bilateral agreement, [they] made representations with the Board of Investments to make the [agreement] two-way instead of one-way to allow its members to import battery lead acid among others, to fill in their needs for raw materials for recycling," Ordona said.

The FPI said it is in fact lobbying for government to start negotiations for a separate bilateral agreements with the US for paper, battery, plastics and steel products.

Despite the contradicting positions, the Economic Mobilization Group said the Philippines is sticking to its original position for a one way agreement that will allow the country to export its toxic and hazardous waste, especially those generated by Philippine-based US electronics companies.

The negotiation for the agreement was prompted by Intel Technologies and other US semiconductor firms themselves because of the absence of high-technology facilities in the country for the proper disposal and treatment of toxic wastes. Toxic and hazardous wastes generated by industries have been accumulating since the Clean Air Act took effect in 1998 because the government has been unable to find an offshore destination pending the signing of a bilateral agreement required under the provisions of the Basle Convention.