Michigan leaders looking for reform after toxic waste shipment from Ohio
ROMULUS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Local Michigan officials said they had no idea toxic waste from the Ohio train derailment was being sent to Michigan. While shipments have been halted for now, officials said work needs to be done to prevent this from happening again.
During Monday night's Romulus City Council meeting, councilmembers said they "were blindsided" by the decision to bring toxic waste to Michigan. Another council member said, "I'm sick and tired of people trying to dump stuff in Romulus."
Officials and residents alike are frustrated but said this is not a new problem, although it's about time it got some attention.
Days after shipments of the toxic waste were halted, questions still swirl. Who knew the waste was being sent to Wayne County?
"No one knew these shipments were coming to Michigan at any level of government," said Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton).
As far as why Michigan was chosen as one of the dump sites, Camilleri said, "No one was able to give that information to us."
According to EGLE, Michigan did receive some of the hazardous waste before shipments were paused on Friday. EGLE reported that two sites had received and processed some waste. Solid waste going to Van Buren Township, and liquid waste going to a deep-well injection site in Romulus.
Romulus City Council members said they are frustrated they didn't know the shipments were coming. But according to EGLE, there are no legal requirements to notify state or local officials of individual hazardous waste shipments coming into Michigan. Camilleri said that needs to change.
"We're going to look this week at some notification reform. So mandating that we are told what type of material is coming into our state. When it is coming, the routes they are taking," said Camilleri.
While the train derailment put toxic waste in the spotlight, the mayor of Romulus said the battle over their deep injection well is nothing new.
"Romulus has never welcomed this well. It's been a long legal process. And the elected officials back in the 90s when I was younger growing up here were fighting this well," said Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight.
A deep injection well places fluid deep underground, McCraight said it never made sense to have one so close to the great lakes.
"It's a deep injection well, and it's going near the nation's largest supply of fresh water. It's always been ahead scratcher for the people of Romulus."
The EPA is currently in charge of all decisions about the remaining waste disposal from the Ohio site.