Teddy Locsin questions list of ocean-polluting countries

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has called the inclusion of the Philippines in the list of eight countries responsible for 63.6 percent of ocean trash as “shameful” but questioned whether there are nations not included because they exported their garbage.

A Bloomberg article reported that China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt and Malaysia dispose of a high amount of plastic waste to oceans in comparison with other countries.

“That we’re on this list is truly something to be ashamed about. But, are other countries not on the list because they export their garbage to these countries? Well, we returned some of those back to sender,” Locsin tweeted on Saturday.

The article claimed that the amount of disposal has increased over the past years with the increase in development mainly in Asian countries and the lack of adequate garbage disposal methods to meet the requirements in line with fast-paced development.

Locsin said garbage from Australia illegally dumped in the Philippines were going back to its country of origin.

Malacañang said the government was “offended” by the reported dumping of garbage from Australia.

Holcim Philippines, the consignee of the shipment, reportedly said the container vans had trash declared as processed engineered fuel.