Michigan officials, environmental experts answer questions at public forum on hazardous waste
BELLEVILLE, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Toxic waste management has been on the minds of many in Michigan. On Thursday night, residents got to ask questions at a public forum on hazardous waste transport, storage, and disposal.
The event comes after the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and after some of the waste was delivered to Michigan.
The event was organized by Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and was held at the Wayne County Community College campus in Belleville.
Around 150 people showed up to voice their concerns. "Do we have to worry about being safe living here?" asked one resident.
Another question was why Michigan is one of the largest waste importers in the U.S. The answer was Michigan's tipping rate.
"Tipping rate is how much you pay per ton of waste. And we're cheap. It's .39 cents per ton. The average tipping rate exceeds five dollars, in Wisconsin it's $13," said Rep. Dingell.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. Was also in attendance, said seven of Michigan's eight hazardous waste facilities that accept offsite waste are located in working-class neighborhoods.
"We're not going to stand by while our communities are turned into dumping grounds. We don't deserve that," said Rep. Tlaib.
Many of the public's concerns were about waste transport regulations and safety. The EPA spokesperson said she believes there are sufficient regulations, but says there is room for a national discussion about rail transport.
"We see the lengths of trains increasing, and the number sometimes and for some companies decreasing so that's something that's worth looking at," said Debra Shore, EPA Regional Administrator.
Other concerns were about receiving notifications of toxic waste shipments into the deep injection well site in Romulus.
"It's receiving waste from many other states, 40 truckloads a day, and there's never been a notification system. The waste is coming to these sites constantly," said Shore.
Lawmakers at the forum said that Michiganders should expect to see some changes, as the new legislature has a focus on the environment. Specifically, they mentioned changing Michigan's tipping rates and changing the amount Michigan imports waste from Canada.
While many of the questions were answered, a lot of the issues were dealing with trust, which residents said will take more than a meeting to address.
