Illegal Waste Export Case in Subic Bay, Philippines, and Japan's Situation - January 2020

Illegal Waste Export Case in Subic Bay, Philippines, and Japan's Situation - January 2020

In 2020, an incident came to light where approximately 5000 tons of plastic waste were illegally exported from Japan to Subic Bay, Philippines. "Toa Environmental Co., Ltd." was involved in this illegal export, sending mixed plastic waste that did not meet recycling standards to the Philippines. The waste was not properly processed locally, leading to significant environmental pollution. The Philippine government strongly condemned the illegal export and demanded the return of the waste. Consequently, Japan had to repatriate the waste.

Of the waste that arrived in Subic Bay, around 3500 tons were left in piles, and 1200 residents reported health problems. Harmful substances like dioxins were released, worsening air pollution. Additionally, the levels of lead and cadmium in the groundwater exceeded legal limits, causing respiratory diseases and other health issues among local residents.

In Japan, the Ministry of the Environment fined "Toa Environmental Co., Ltd." approximately 500 million yen and filed criminal charges against the involved employees. The company had submitted false export reports, ignoring Philippine regulations. This incident highlighted serious flaws in Japan's waste export management and sparked social criticism domestically.

In response to this incident, Japan's oversight of waste exports was strengthened, with strict sorting and third-party inspections required for the export of mixed plastic waste. Moreover, in 2021, the Basel Convention was revised, tightening regulations on plastic waste exports. Countries like the Philippines and Malaysia imposed import restrictions, severely limiting waste imports from Japan.

A 2020 survey revealed that approximately 30% of waste exported from Japan remains untraceable, highlighting ongoing issues with managing international waste trade. Going forward, Japan must enhance its domestic recycling capacity and improve monitoring systems to prevent illegal exports by companies.