Freeport Authority Says Accredited Facilities Operate Under Tight Environmental Oversight
By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has strongly denied allegations that the Subic Bay Freeport has become a destination for illegally imported electronic waste, insisting that all recycling operations inside the economic zone are subject to stringent environmental regulations and continuous government oversight.
Amethya dela Llana, Officer-in-Charge and Senior Deputy Administrator of the SBMA Regulatory Group, said licensed recyclers operating within the Freeport are required to comply with both national environmental laws and internationally recognized waste management standards before they are allowed to process electronic materials.
She maintained that environmental organizations are welcome to inspect the facilities, review the permits issued by the SBMA Ecology Center and other regulatory agencies, and verify the compliance procedures observed by accredited recycling firms.
“There is no basis for claims that toxic electronic waste is being dumped in Subic,” dela Llana said, stressing that all imported materials undergo monitoring from their arrival through processing and final disposition.
The SBMA official stated allegations made by the Environmental Task Force Against E-Waste Imports to the Philippines, a coalition of environmental organizations that accused certain companies in the Subic Freeport of handling electronic waste allegedly shipped from the United States.
During a recent media briefing in Quezon City, the coalition released photographs purportedly showing electronic waste stored outdoors in several facilities, claiming that some materials were exposed to weather conditions that could pose environmental risks.
The group also said it had used GPS tracking devices to trace shipments of suspected electronic waste to recycling plants located inside the Freeport.
According to the environmental coalition, it has monitored more than 230 container shipments suspected of containing electronic waste, along with another shipment believed to contain plastic waste, since early last year.
The organizations said they had repeatedly alerted both the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regarding the shipments.
However, they claimed customs authorities cited an earlier court ruling recognizing the Subic Bay Freeport as a separate customs territory, limiting their ability to intervene.
SBMA disputed the allegations, describing them as misleading and unfair to the Freeport’s environmental compliance program.
The agency emphasized that the 15 accredited recycling companies operating in Subic form part of the country’s efforts to promote a circular economy by recovering valuable materials from discarded electronic equipment instead of relying solely on newly extracted natural resources.
Recovered metals such as copper, aluminum, iron, silver, and gold are processed for industrial use, while plastics are converted into recycled pellets that serve as raw materials for manufacturing. According to the SBMA, these processed materials are subsequently exported.
The Freeport authority also highlighted its own environmental initiatives aimed at improving electronic waste management.
Since launching its electronic waste collection program in 2017, the SBMA Ecology Center has gathered more than 88 metric tons of discarded electrical and electronic equipment for proper recycling.
Earlier this year, the agency expanded its campaign by introducing the “Closing the Loop on E-Waste” program in partnership with accredited waste handlers and recycling companies to strengthen responsible collection, processing, and disposal practices within the Freeport.
The conflicting claims have once again placed the spotlight on the country’s regulation of imported electronic waste, an issue that has drawn increasing attention from environmental advocates and regulators.
While environmental groups continue to press for stricter enforcement against illegal waste shipments, the SBMA maintains that Subic’s recycling industry operates within a tightly regulated framework designed to protect both the environment and public health while supporting sustainable resource recovery.
ia/xf
