(CBS) — The Wayne County Commission held a special meeting Tuesday to discuss concerns about the disposal of radioactive waste at a landfill in Van Buren Township.
Many residents of the Wayne Disposal Project would have liked this meeting before they learned last week that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to send 600 truckloads of radioactive soil and concrete from the Manhattan Project to the landfill off Interstate 94 near Belleville Road.
“If they don’t come into the neighborhood and contact us or ask for our opinion, it just seems shady,” says John Maclean, who lives near the landfill.
Andres Gutierrez/CBS Detroit
When Maclean moved to the area in 1999, he knew he would be living near a landfill, but he didn’t expect it to process hazardous materials. That was one of the reasons the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded the facility this latest contract.
“I’d like to see a report from the Army Corps of Engineers. It would be nice to see what they say about it. I just assume they’ll say it’s being taken care of and it’s safe – but, you know, the wind usually blows from the dump here,” Maclean said.
Some neighbors see it differently.
“I understand their concern, but that’s what this place was built for. They’ve converted it so that toxic waste can be disposed of there. I mean, I may not make many people happy, but it just doesn’t bother me,” says Daniel Debord, who lives near the landfill.
But some worry about the environmental and health risks and are angry with the state regulator, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, for never warning them.
“This is being handled by EGLE. EGLE was informed and knew it was coming,” U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell told commissioners Tuesday. “I think there are people who deal with this so day-to-day that they don’t have a political filter or understanding that people and communities are going to be very upset and concerned.”
Elected politicians are now pushing for stricter regulations.
Proposals on the table include increasing landfill fees to make waste disposal more expensive and introducing a limit on the number of hazardous waste disposal facilities in municipalities.
It also calls for the adoption of laws to ensure that communities are informed about what waste is being brought into their area.
“I know they say it’s not that dangerous, but let’s be honest, whose decision was it to drive another 266 miles from New York to Michigan? And if it’s not dangerous, why don’t they do it somewhere in New York?” said Alisha Bell, chair of the Wayne County Commission.
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Wayne County Executive Warren Evans will hold a town hall meeting next Wednesday, September 4, at 6 p.m. at the Ted Scott Campus of Wayne County Community College in Belleville. Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EGLE and EPA will also attend.
Andres Gutierrez
