The Philippines will repatriate the tons of garbage in Misamis Oriental to South Korea, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( DENR) said on Friday.

In a text message to Manila Shimbun, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said based on a written report of the

investigation team from the Environmental Management Bureau led by Nolan Francisco dated November 13, it was found out that most of the wastes were hazardous.

"They concluded that the waste content of the bags are heterogeneous solid wastes that include special or household hazardous wastes. They estimated that about 31.71 tons out of the total volume of imported wastes are hazardous," he said.

"In this connection, I am directing the Verde Soko Philippines to send back all the cargo wastes back to its origin," Cimatu said.

He stressed that the DENR would not allow the Philippines to be a dumping ground.

In an earlier statement, the DENR said the garbage shipment was consigned to South Korean company Verde Soko II Industrial Corp., which operates a 4.5 hectare waste recycling facility within the Phividec Industrial Estate in Tagoloan town.

Containing about 5,100 tons of garbage, the shipment arrived at Mindanao Container Terminal in Misamis Oriental on board MV Affluent Ocean last July 21.

Cimatu said the repatriation of the garbage should be made as soon as possible.

Asked if charges would be filed against those responsible for the importation of garbage, he said, "Our Regional Director in Region 9 has issued a Notice of Violations of ECC (Environmental Clearance Certificate) condition against the company which is importation without clearance."

He said the EMB staff is also preparing possible legal action if the company could be charged for violating Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Waste Management Act. Celerina Monte/DMS