A landfill for hazardous waste in Wayne County is preparing to recover tons of contaminated soil and groundwater from a site in New York where the atomic bomb was developed during World War II.
Semi-trailers will transport the radioactive waste via public roads and highways to the Wayne Disposal Facility just off I-94 in Van Buren Township. Some people nearby don’t want to be nearby.
“It’s very scary,” said Debbie Cartwright, who lives nearby. “It’s in my backyard. It’s going to be in my backyard, right across the highway.”
The waste comes from the Manhattan Project, which began in the 1940s during World War II. Hundreds of weapons were tested and built, including the atomic bomb.
The Ministry of Transport has strict regulations regarding the transport of radioactive and hazardous waste.
The garbage is removed load by load using approximately 25 semi-trailers per week, adhering to all county, state and federal regulations to ensure safe transportation.
Cartwright just wonders why residents were not given a say and were not even informed about what was going on in their community.
“We were not informed at all,” said Cartwright. “We found out about it in the newspaper. I don’t know if there is anything we can do. Who can complain and voice their opinion, but what can you do?”
Several heads of state and district are now reacting.
“This is not the first time Wayne Disposal Inc. and Michigan Disposal Inc. have accepted hazardous waste from other states – as always, it is absolutely necessary to protect our community’s right to safety.”
Representative Reggie Miller
Alisha Bell, chair of the Wayne County Commission, said, “The Wayne County Commission is deeply concerned about the ongoing disposal of toxic waste in our county and welcomes discussions in collaboration with the CEO to explore ways to give the county a voice in these disposal decisions.”
In conclusion, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans said, “This environmental injustice is partly the reason why our residents suffer from higher rates of asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes and other complications. For this reason, we strongly oppose the transportation and disposal of these hazardous materials in our communities.”
Read Evans’ full statement below
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