China says PH dumped metal waste in port

MANILA, Philippines—China has accused the Philippines of dumping mineral wastes at one of its ports and has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to investigate the matter.

The China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIG), a private inspector for the government of China, has written a letter to Environment Secretary Ramon Paje asking him to order an investigation into the shipment of 55,000 tons of metal wastes that were found in a container van in Lianyungan Port in China on May 20.

The shipment that came on the MV Eleni D was classified as iron ore but inspection showed that it was “slag” or mineral wastes, CCIG said.

The ore shipment “was found with anomalies in terms of its appearance and grades,” according to CCIG Philippines general manager Yonghai Wang.

Wang noted that such materials were barred from entering China.

According to CCIG, the metal wastes had come from Pacific Nickel Philippines Inc. (PNPI) which has a nickel project in Talisay, Nonoc, Surigao City.

As far as the Philippine government was concerned, the mineral wastes were illegally shipped from Surigao City, Paje said.

Paje explained that PNPI has buyers for the waste in China as these contain bits of iron ore which could still be extracted.