(CNN) Cambodia has become the latest Asian country to reject shipments of waste sent to its shores by Western companies for processing.

Cambodian officials announced Wednesday that they were sending 1,600 tonnes of trash back to their source -- the United States and Canada.

Cambodia is sending back 1,600 tonnes of trash to the US and Canada.

A total of 83 shipping containers of plastic waste were found on Tuesday at the major southwestern port of Sihanoukville, said Neth Pheaktra, Secretary of State and Spokesman to the Ministry of Environment.

The containers, opened by customs and excise officials, were labeled as "recyclable products" with no labels of plastic waste, said Pheaktra.

Shipping containers full of plastic waste were found in Sihanoukville port on July 16, 2019.

The customs ministry is now conducting an investigation into how the containers ended up in Cambodia, and which companies or groups are behind the import. If discovered, they would be fined and brought to court, Pheaktra said. Meanwhile, the federal government will begin the process of sending back the trash to the US and Canada.

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