VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A controversial landfill in Van Buren Township that has accepted hazardous waste from states like New York is looking to expand.
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Wayne Disposal is proposing to increase its disposal capacity from 22.5 million cubic yards to 27.6 million cubic yards — nearly a 23% jump. The company has also requested more capacity and the ability to treat waste prior to disposal.
"Trash is one thing, but shipping trash in or chemicals in from other cities or counties is something I'm not really keen on," said Ben Fader, a Van Buren Township resident.
As expansion plans heat up, those concerns persists.
"I really don't want it in my backyard," he said.
Previous coverage: Residents, city leaders continue fight over hazardous waste coming to Wayne County landfill
State Rep. Reggie Miller, who represents Michigan's 31st House District, voiced concerns about the state becoming a destination for hazardous materials.
"We're a bargain bin for waste for not only countries but other states," Miller said.
Miller also criticized the public notification process for a meeting about the expansion that was originally scheduled for May 28.
"We found out that this notice appeared in a local paper on page 13, it's unacceptable. Plain and simple," she said. "That's not transparency, that's a tactic to avoid public scrutiny."
Republic Services, which owns Wayne Disposal, said the expansion would be vertical and will not increase acreage or reduce green space.
"The requested vertical expansion will bring this section of the landfill in line with other areas and help ensure we maximize available capacity to meet demand for safe responsible waste disposal," the company stated.
Watch our September 2024 coverage of a town hall where emotions were high as radioactive waste was set to move in metro Detroit
Republic Services also said the application process began years ago.
"Wayne Disposal requested a vertical expansion to fill in a low spot in the existing landfill footprint following the closure of a runway at the neighboring airport, which previously limited area based on flight path of the runway. The site advertised and held a pre-application public meeting on Oct. 6, 2021," the company said.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced that the May 28 meeting is being rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts, though no new date has been set.
"We are in the process of notifying legislators and interested parties through public notices, GovDelivery alerts and phone calls," the department wrote.
Watch our August 2024 coverage of Van Buren Public Schools superintendent concerned about radioactive waste
Miller has introduced legislation aimed at reducing hazardous waste imports into Michigan and hopes for bipartisan support.
"This should be a bipartisan issue. I hope we get support. We'll have to see how that goes," she said.
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