Federal Government Halts Hazardous Waste Shipments to Michigan Landfill

The federal government has ceased sending hazardous waste from Ohio to a Michigan landfill following a judge's intervention in another case involving waste shipments from New York. The US Army Corps of Engineers had been transporting materials from an Ohio site to Wayne Disposal in Michigan. The pause comes while a court order is being assessed.

The federal government has halted hazardous waste shipments from Ohio to a Michigan landfill, creating a ripple effect following a judge's intervention in a separate case involving waste from New York state. This decision affects the US Army Corps of Engineers' operations.

Since 2018, the Corps has been transporting hazardous materials, including beryllium and other toxic substances, from Luckey, Ohio, to Wayne Disposal in Michigan, one of the few landfills in the country equipped to handle such waste. The pause was initiated after a Detroit-area judge temporarily stopped plans to send low-level radioactive waste from Lewiston, New York, to the same Michigan facility.

A court hearing is set for September 26 to address the concerns from four nearby communities about the risks associated with incoming waste. Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak expressed her relief over the pause. Republic Services, the operator of the landfill, claims to meet or exceed safety regulations for hazardous materials.

(With inputs from agencies.)