VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Wayne Disposal facility, just off I-94 in Van Buren Township, is a hazardous waste landfill operated by Republic Services. Republic Services confirmed by phone to 7 News Detroit reporter Faraz Javed that it will process radioactive waste that will be on its way from New York next month through January 2025.
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“I don’t like that. My children live next door, my grandchildren and our neighbors.” said Bonnie Coughlin, a resident of Van Buren Township.
Coughlin has lived in Van Buren Township for decades. Her house is a mile from the landfill.
“It’s always been scary what they’re dumping there,” Coughlin said.
“It is also a government-approved institution. Does that give you any security?” asked Javed.
“Not really. How can you guarantee that nothing will harm us?!” said Coughlin.
A recent presentation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said that 25 semi-trucks arrive here each week. It also shows that each truck is decontaminated and the radioactive waste is safely stored in lined trucks.
The waste is said to come from the Niagara Falls deposit, which dates back to the 1940s. At that time, the facility in Lewiston, New York, became the main storage site for byproducts from the processing of uranium ore for atomic bombs as part of the Manhattan Project.
“I just want to know how harmful it is. And how are they going to get it there?” Coughlin said.
In a statement to 7 News Detroit, both Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and state Rep. Reggie Miller described the amount of contaminated waste as 5,500 cubic yards of soil and concrete, as well as 1,600 liters of groundwater with elevated levels of radiation.
“I have to close the windows at night, it’s so terrible, you can smell the stench,” said Anthony Pauldebias.
Another local resident, Pauldebias, has lived here for 36 years. Pauldebias says this is not the first time the landfill has processed hazardous waste.
“I’m just worried about my health, the health of others and the value of our homes,” Pauldebias said.
In 2018, Channel 7 reported on the US Army Corps of Engineers’ disposal of up to 124,000 tons of low-level radioactive soil and materials from a former military contractor in Luckey, Ohio.
124,000 tons of low-level radioactive soil are disposed of at the Wayne County landfill
Then last year, more than 190,000 gallons of toxic liquid waste were dumped into Wayne County following a train derailment in Palestine, Ohio, catching state and local authorities completely off guard.
Wayne County officials were ‘surprised’ by the arrival of toxic waste following a train derailment in Ohio
In a statement to 7 News Detroit, Republic Services writes, in part: “Wayne Disposal is a highly engineered Class C landfill with numerous safety measures and regular inspections and system testing to ensure everything is functioning as intended. The material accepted by the Niagara Falls Storage Site meets permit guidelines and is disposed of safely, responsibly and in compliance with all local, state and federal regulations.”
“Why don’t you take it somewhere else?” asked Coughlin.
“Do you want to move?” asked Javed.
“I’m not moving. This is my home. I’ve been here for 71 years and I’m not going anywhere. But we have to try to stop it,” Coughlin said.
Evans, Wayne County’s executive director, said he understands that garbage has to go somewhere, but the county can’t always be the solution, so he will look for solutions in the form of new policies or laws.
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