The Philippines Thursday rejected Canada's plan for the return of garbage dumped in the country more than five years ago. The Canadian government said the task would be completed by the end of June. But Philippines presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the timeline was too long and the government would push through with a plan to hire a private ship to send back all the trash immediately. "We do not want that, it's too long," he told reporters. "We will not allow ourselves to be the dumping ground of trash."

Canada said Wednesday that by the end of June it would remove truckloads of garbage that Filipino officials say were illegally shipped to the Philippines years ago. Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said the government has awarded a contract to French shipping giant Bollore Logistics Canada that calls for the return of 69 containers filled with household waste and electronic garbage.

The Philippines government recalled its ambassador and consuls in Canada last week over Ottawa's failure to comply with a May 15 deadline to take back the garbage. At least 103 containers of household trash, including plastic bottles and bags, newspapers and diapers, were shipped in batches from Canada to the Philippines from 2013 to 2014.