Environmental Groups Challenge SBMA Authority on US E-Waste Imports to the Philippines

• The Environmental Task Force Against Illegal E-Waste Imports to the Philippines (END E-Waste Imports) asserts that the Subic Bay Management Authority (SBMA) lacks the legal authority to approve e-waste shipments from the United States.
• Responsibility for waste trade decisions rests exclusively with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) under the Basel Convention.
• A total of 184 suspected illegal e-waste containers are expected to arrive at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone between August 6 and September 2026, flagged by an alert from the Basel Action Network (BAN).

Basel Convention Violations

• The Philippines is a signatory to the Basel Convention, while the US is not; Article 4 of the treaty prohibits trade in hazardous or other wastes with non-Parties.
• Under the Basel Convention’s E-Waste Amendment, all e-waste is strictly controlled and requires the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, which has not been obtained for these shipments.
• Experts warn that importing such waste renders the SBMA complicit in criminal activity under international law.

Legal Framework and Demands

• While recyclers claim that local law is insufficient to restrict trade, the Task Force points to the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 (RA 6969) and its implementing regulation, DENR Administrative Order No. 2013-22, as sufficient statutory authority to enforce Basel obligations.
• The Task Force is demanding that the BOC and DENR-EMB include them in all inspection activities for incoming shipments to ensure transparency.
• Advocates are renewing their call for Congress to pass House Resolution No. 1164, which seeks a formal investigation into the SBMA's role in the illegal importation of electronic waste.