Wayne County officials met this week to discuss the federal government’s lack of transparency following its unilateral decision to transport radioactive waste from a site in New York where the Manhattan Project was developed to a landfill in metropolitan Detroit.
Authorities only learned of the shipment when the Detroit Free Press reported last week that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was planning to transport the waste to a landfill in Van Buren Township and store it there.
Republic Services’ Wayne Disposal is one of five landfills identified by the company that can process the waste.
“As permits and locations expand, we need to know what we can do as a county commission to have a say in those decisions?” Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell said at Tuesday’s meeting.
Officials raised similar concerns last year when a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in the city of East Palestine, Ohio, releasing toxic chemicals, including the known carcinogen vinyl chloride, into the environment.
Nearly 15 percent of the solid waste and about 7 percent of the liquid waste removed from the derailment were ultimately disposed of in the Detroit metropolitan area, but local authorities were not notified of the shipment until the chemicals were already there, the Detroit News reported.
Just weeks after the East Palestine derailment, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Van Buren Township. While there was no evidence that the derailment released any hazardous substances, it only added to growing concerns in Michigan about the transportation of hazardous waste to disposal sites in the state.
Those concerns were raised by residents and local officials in attendance Tuesday, but Patrick Cullen of the Wayne County Environmental Protection Agency said the decision was made by the federal government – not the county – and cannot be blocked.
U.S. Representatives Rashida Talib and Debbie Dingell were both present at the meeting and expressed concerns about the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) not imposing stricter restrictions on the transportation of materials.
“When was the last time they denied a permit? I want to know,” Talib said. “Because every permit I’ve seen from the state seems to have either been approved or delayed because they need more information.”
Bell suggested the commission could take steps to make the county less attractive to companies seeking to store their waste, such as establishing protocols and enforcing them with fines, higher landfill fees and monitoring the permits of those companies.
In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Republic Services, Dingell reiterated that the lack of information to local authorities and the public about the hazardous waste shipment has only increased concerns about the potential risks associated with transporting these materials through local communities.
“While I understand that this facility is licensed at both the federal and state levels and must adhere to strict regulations designed to ensure the protection of the community, my constituents remain concerned about the impacts to their health and the environment,” the letter states. “Given recent hazardous waste disposal incidents in Michigan, it is imperative that we take every precaution to protect our community.”
A representative of EGLE attended the meeting via Zoom, but was unable to give a clear answer due to technical difficulties.
A town hall meeting with representatives from the district and local authorities is planned for Wednesday, September 4th to further discuss the transportation.
Jenny Sherman of WDET contributed to this report.
Trustworthy, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET is committed to making our journalism accessible to all. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through the independent support of readers like you. If you value WDET as your source for news, music and talk, please make a donation today.
Donate today »
