- State and federal regulators are considering requests to expand a hazardous waste landfill in southeast Michigan
- Several residents spoke out against the proposal at a hearing on Thursday
- Pending legislation would raise state standards for such facilities
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP — State and federal regulators heard an earful Thursday night from southeast Michigan residents who object to a proposed expansion of the hazardous waste landfill in their backyards.
Ahead of that nearly three-hour-long public hearing on the proposal, residents directed their frustrations toward a powerful decisionmaker who wasn’t in attendance: Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall.
“ALLOW THE VOTE, MATT HALL,” stated one sign. “HELP US, MATT HALL,” stated another. “BRING FORWARD SB 246 and 247 MATT HALL,” stated a third.
“Let the people talk,” urged Mark Cianteo, a 71-year-old Van Buren Township resident who for decades has lived near Wayne Disposal Inc., the hazardous waste landfill that towers over Interstate 94 east of Ypsilanti.
US Ecology, the company that owns the landfill, wants permission from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to pile its waste higher — a move several area residents and their allies in the Legislature hope to thwart in part by raising Michigan’s standards for such facilities.
Residents’ frustration stems from House Republicans’ inaction on legislation that aims to curtail Michigan’s hazardous waste disposal industry by raising disposal fees, banning the disposal of some radioactive waste and pausing permitting for new and expanded facilities.
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The Democrat-controlled state Senate approved its own version of the bills in August, in a party-line vote with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no, citing concerns that increased fees would amount to a de facto tax. Twin legislation sponsored by state Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Township, has yet to receive a hearing in the state House.
A spokesperson for Hall did not respond to a request for comment Thursday night, but Miller, who attended Thursday’s hearing, said the package “will not go anywhere” because Hall “said no.”
Thursday’s hearing and protest comes as US Ecology looks to expand its disposal capacity by 5 million cubic yards, or 23%, by piling the waste higher than currently allowed. It also wants to add two storage areas for containers such as 55 gallon drums and is seeking a federal permit to continue accepting polychlorinated bisphenols, or PCBs. The toxic chemicals were banned in 1979, but persist today in old buildings, machines and other materials. Only a handful of US landfills are permitted to accept them.
The expansion requests come amid tense debate about Michigan’s reputation as a nation-leading importer of hazardous waste from fracking, contaminated site cleanups and other origins.
In 2023, the most recent federal reporting cycle for which records are available, Michigan imported 134,608 tons, mostly from Ohio and New Jersey.
Those living in the shadow of hazardous waste facilities have objected for decades to their operation and expansion. But their cause gained new attention in 2023, when Wayne Disposal was set to accept waste from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment.
Residents rallied to stop the shipments, but controversy continued in 2024 when the US Army Corps of Engineers began shipping radioactive Manhattan Project waste to the landfill. Local governments sued and a judge halted the shipments while the lawsuit proceeds.
During Thursday’s hearing, regulators indicated they may have no choice but to approve the proposed expansion. They have already prepared a draft license, although EGLE Permit Engineer Christine Matlock told the gathered crowd that “no decision has been made.”
“The department is legally obligated to issue the license if it meets all the technical requirements,” she said, but EGLE can take into consideration community desires for monitoring or other protections.
Opponents of the landfill’s expansion didn’t seem reassured. They urged regulators to deny the permit and peppered them with questions about health and safety.
Among those questions:
- What happens if the company violates its license terms? An EGLE review and possibly a fine.
- Are inspection results public? Yes.
- How high could the facility eventually expand? There’s no established limit, but the facility is limited by technical feasibility and FAA regulations governing the nearby Willow Run Airport.
- What happens during a major rainstorm? The landfill is required to be capable of managing a 100-year storm but has overflow basins to catch heavier rainfall.
Some asked EGLE to delay consideration of the application until it conducts a full evaluation of its impact on public health.
“I want healthy grandchildren,” said Jean Watts, a realtor in the community. “I want my children to be healthy. This jeopardizes that.”
Department staff will review and respond to comments before making a final decision. In the meantime, Matlock said EGLE officials will continue to inspect the facility quarterly and regularly audit its operating records.
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