The lot did not return to Hong Kong, but was instead transferred to Shanghai, then lost traces, according to the South China Morning Post.

"Hong Kong Customs and the Environmental Protection Agency are responsible for investigating whether there are any errors," said Kate Lin, senior activist with Greenpeace, an environmental organization.

She said that the government should have stopped it from the beginning, not letting the trash leave Hong Kong, because of the waste of electricity, etc., is regulated in the Basel Convention, prohibiting the transfer of harmful waste to developing countries, The same applies to Hong Kong.

According to Greenpeace, Hong Kong is the world’s largest plastic waste transit port, with 280,000 tons of garbage passing through every year.

The container, containing 25 tons of electrical goods, was crushed, shipped to the Philippines in January, by Hong Kong-based Hin Yuen Tech Env. Greenpeace said the company does not have a garbage export license.

According to the Philippine government, the company misrepresents the type of goods inside the container, stating that it is electrical. Philippines discovered this shipment in May.

Greenpeace also followed the Nagoya SITC ship via a marine ship tracking website, but lost track, after the ship left the Philippines on June 3 and docked in Shanghai on June 7.

According to the import and export documents that Greenpeace has access to, the ship has not stopped in Hong Kong. It is unclear whether the container is still in Shanghai, or it has been taken to another ship to Hong Kong.

Campaigners Greenpeace called on the Hong Kong government to investigate the case. Photo: Greenpeace Hong Kong.

Immediately after learning about garbage containers from Hong Kong, the Philippines announced it would return, amid the country trying to vent its reputation as a "trash" of the world.

Like the Philippines, it is also reducing the amount of waste transferred from abroad. The world’s second largest economy imports 70% of global plastic waste from 1988-2016, and has banned it in 2017.

Greenpeace said China ’s policy makes waste transfer gradually to Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries.

According to the organization, the Hong Kong government should make it impossible for the garbage to be exported or transported to another country, in the context of the international community seeking to reduce garbage trade.

The Philippines returned garbage containers on June 3. Photo: Greenpeace Hong Kong.