Controversy Over Radioactive Waste Storage in Detroit’s Van Buren Township

Detroit, a bustling city in Wayne County, is wrestling with a controversial plan to store hazardous and radioactive waste in a Van Buren Township landfill. Several officials have expressed their concerns after discovering that a whopping 6,000 cubic yards of soil and concrete, and 4,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater are planned to be transported from a New York site. Notably, this site was associated with the preparation of the Manhattan Project atomic bomb during and after World War II.

“Shunting radioactive waste across to our county is something of a nightmare scenario,” said Alisha Bell, the chair of the Wayne County Commission. She emphasized that Wayne County’s spot as the nation’s 19th most populated county, along with its proximity to the world’s largest freshwater supply, made it a particularly concerning candidate for nuclear waste storage. Bell voiced her hopes that there would be, “other, less populated, and less risky areas where this waste could find a home.”

A public meeting setup by the Wayne County commissioners has been scheduled for Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Detroit. Several key officials involved in environmental affairs are expected to contribute their insights, including Elizabeth Browne from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Patrick Cullen from the county’s environmental services department, and Kevin McNamara, the Van Buren Township Supervisor.

A common sentiment among local citizens and officials is a desire to see this hazardous waste diverted elsewhere. Wayne County’s Warren Evans questioned the decision to place the waste in their county, given the considerable number of hazardous waste landfills and processing facilities operating in the nation. His statement conveyed a sense of unacceptance, “We will not accept the assignment of becoming the dumping ground for what no one else wants.”

The debate over the handling of hazardous waste is a longstanding issue for local officials. Complications arise with a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling which viewed out-of-state trash as a ‘commodity’ or ‘articles of commerce’, preventing it from restriction under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

With the need for a broader discussion about hazardous waste management in the country, State Senator Darrin Camilleri deemed the current plan “alarming”. He called attention to the fact that Michigan, surrounded by 20% of the world’s fresh water, should by no means become America’s dumping site. He emphasized the need for better planning, claiming, “Our community deserves so much better.”

The much-anticipated public meeting will also be available for remote viewing via livestream on the Wayne County Commission’s YouTube channel and through Zoom. The aim? To bring a wide awareness of this critical issue and work towards improved waste handling for the county.

Please, stay informed, join the discussion, and let’s solve this challenge.