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Environmental health and justice activists satirized the famed flag-raising during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II to mark the first Global Day of Action against Japanese Waste Colonialism initiated by environmental and civil society groups, which coincided with the observance of Japan’s Constitution Day.
Enlarge ImageThere's a mantra that GMA and her trade and economic advisors use when gathering support for the JPEPA ratification. "We will miss the boat." Exactly what boat they are referring to remains unclear to the Filipino people who were kept in the dark for years. The contents of this controversial agreement only came to light after it was signed by President GMA and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last year in a land so far away from the curious eyes of Filipinos despite the clamor for transparency and a public discourse.
One of the issues that caught the public's attention was the exceptionally long list of toxic wastes and substances in the agreement that would enter the Philippines under a zero tariff regime. Some of the toxic and hazardous substances include municipal, medical, and pharmaceutical wastes, industry scraps, incinerator ash and residues, sewage sludge, slags, etc which contain extremely toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) among others. PCBs, in particular, was identified as one of the 12 dirtiest toxics and is subject of phase out legislation globally under the Stockholm Convention for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) which the Philippines ratified in 2004.
Also of grave concern is the inclusion of nuclear wastes and other radioactive materials in the agreement such as spent (irradiated) fuel, uranium depleted of U235, uranium enriched in U235, natural uranium and plutonium. There is still no real solution for dealing with radioactive wastes. At the same time, it increases the risks from terrorism and nuclear weapons proliferation.
The exchange of diplomatic notes between Japan and the Philippines has not resolved the issue on toxic or nuclear waste dumping. These documents state that 'Japan would not be sending toxic waste to the Philippines as defined and prohibited under the laws of the Philippines and Japan, in accordance with the Basel Convention". Essentially, the message here is that Japan can send toxic wastes to the Philippines if the Philippine government allows its entry whether for recycling and/or disposal. Furthermore, nuclear wastes are not covered by the exchange of diplomatic notes and would, therefore pose additional risks to the communities whose lands become the repositories of these wastes.
The Philippine government has been, on the whole, inutile in dealing with ordinary municipal wastes, let alone toxic and radioactive wastes. The Basel Ban Amendment, which both countries have not ratified to date, could have accorded us that added protection against toxic waste dumping. If both governments were serious in stopping toxic trade, they must go beyond rhetoric and ratify the Basel Ban Amendment and delete the toxic and nuclear wastes and substances from JPEPA annexes. Failing to do so would mean that the boats
loaded with toxics and nukes will soon end up in our shores contaminating our waters, land and air and putting lives at risk.
If this is the boat that government is worried that we might miss, for the sake of the Filipino people, I think we should just miss it. It's merely another bankang papel (paper boat) and will only get us nowhere, or worse than where we started.
One of the issues that caught the public's attention was the exceptionally long list of toxic wastes and substances in the agreement that would enter the Philippines under a zero tariff regime. Some of the toxic and hazardous substances include municipal, medical, and pharmaceutical wastes, industry scraps, incinerator ash and residues, sewage sludge, slags, etc which contain extremely toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) among others. PCBs, in particular, was identified as one of the 12 dirtiest toxics and is subject of phase out legislation globally under the Stockholm Convention for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) which the Philippines ratified in 2004.
Also of grave concern is the inclusion of nuclear wastes and other radioactive materials in the agreement such as spent (irradiated) fuel, uranium depleted of U235, uranium enriched in U235, natural uranium and plutonium. There is still no real solution for dealing with radioactive wastes. At the same time, it increases the risks from terrorism and nuclear weapons proliferation.
The exchange of diplomatic notes between Japan and the Philippines has not resolved the issue on toxic or nuclear waste dumping. These documents state that 'Japan would not be sending toxic waste to the Philippines as defined and prohibited under the laws of the Philippines and Japan, in accordance with the Basel Convention". Essentially, the message here is that Japan can send toxic wastes to the Philippines if the Philippine government allows its entry whether for recycling and/or disposal. Furthermore, nuclear wastes are not covered by the exchange of diplomatic notes and would, therefore pose additional risks to the communities whose lands become the repositories of these wastes.
The Philippine government has been, on the whole, inutile in dealing with ordinary municipal wastes, let alone toxic and radioactive wastes. The Basel Ban Amendment, which both countries have not ratified to date, could have accorded us that added protection against toxic waste dumping. If both governments were serious in stopping toxic trade, they must go beyond rhetoric and ratify the Basel Ban Amendment and delete the toxic and nuclear wastes and substances from JPEPA annexes. Failing to do so would mean that the boats
loaded with toxics and nukes will soon end up in our shores contaminating our waters, land and air and putting lives at risk.
If this is the boat that government is worried that we might miss, for the sake of the Filipino people, I think we should just miss it. It's merely another bankang papel (paper boat) and will only get us nowhere, or worse than where we started.
