A coalition of Philippine environmentalists have demanded that Canada take its trash back six years after more than 200 million kg of household waste was dumped in the Southeast Asian nation.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a collection of more than 1000 community and environment groups, has written to Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, urging him to respect a promise made late last year to deal with the problem, reported the Toronto Star.

Between 2013 and 2014, a total of 103 shipping containers, supposedly carrying plastics for recycling, arrived from Canada to Philippine ports.

However, customs officials discovered that the containers were actually filled with mixed waste from household bins, including piles of adult diapers, soiled papers and electronic equipment, and the rubbish has been held in limbo ever since.

The contentious issue was raised with Mr Trudeau during his visit to the Philippine capital Manila in November 2017.

“I know it has been a long-standing irritant and I committed to him [Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte], and I’m happy to commit to all of you now that Canada is very much engaged in finding a solution on that,” he told a press conference.

“One of the early barriers was the Canadian legal regulations, which prevented us from receiving the waste back in Canada, even though it originally came from us,” he said, according to the Manila Bulletin.