News

Actions

Residents impacted by radioactive storage collapse into Detroit River to voice concerns tonight

Posted at 6:22 AM, Dec 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-12 06:22:18-05

(WXYZ) — Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Brenda Lawrence will host a meeting today to talk to people impacted by a recent spill into the Detroit River.

This comes as new test results are now in on the potentially bio-hazardous contamination.

New test results say there are no detectable levels of contamination.

The seawall at Detroit Bulk Storage collapsed the night before Thanksgiving.

Roughly 9,000 yards of material from a potentially contaminated site spilled into the Detroit river.

The vice president of Detroit Bulk Storage told 7 Action News off-camera the nearby Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard were notified of the collapse. They were concerned passing vassals could hit the debris.

Those working for the environmental organization, Sierra Club, say the first concern for them was the lack of communication to residents. They say it took a week to notify people living in the area.

But there’s not a requirement for the state or the public to be notified.

"To be frank, this is a wake up call," said Justin Onwenu of the Sierra Club. "There’s countless numbers industries along the Detroit River. Our emergency management system has been tested time and time again whether it be the marathon release events. This most recent event and they haven’t been up to par and more broadly, sea levels are rising. The Detroit River is at an extremely high level so instances like these are going to happen more often and we need to be prepared.”

The meeting to address concerns will be held tonight at 7 p.m.

The Great Lakes Water Authority and City of Wyandotte, which have drinking water intakes several miles downstream, say they will be conducting their own water tests.