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Radioactive waste disposal coming to Van Buren Township causes officials to sound alarm
EGLE said only five landfills in the country could accept the waste, and Wayne Disposal is the closest geographically to the New York cleanup site.
WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Lawmakers are concerned about radioactive waste coming to SE Michigan. On Tuesday lawmakers joined about 150 residents sharing concerns at a Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday.
About 4,000 gallons of radioactive groundwater and 6,000 cubic yards of radioactive waste are coming to Wayne County from the Manhattan Project in New York. And the decision has caught officials by surprise.
"When you say nuclear waste, that’s the mother of all ‘not in my backyard’ (issues)," said Patrick Cullen, Wayne County Environmental Services.
Semi-trucks filled with radiated soil and groundwater are coming to Wayne Disposal in Van Buren Township.
"This has to be transported through our communities, so it’s not just about Van Buren, this comes through our communities," said US Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Dearborn).
"How do we do better notification? I mean, we all keep getting surprised," said US Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor).
Dingell and Tlaib are working with Wayne County’s Board of Commissioners to see if the shipments can be prevented — and if better communication can help prepare both officials and residents if, and when, this type of radioactive material is shipped.
"EGLE was notified and they knew it was coming," Dingell said. "I think that there are people that deal with this on such a day-to-day basis that they don’t have a political filter or understand that people in communities are going to be very upset and are very worried."
Wayne County Board of Commissioners meeting held Tuesday
Environment, Great Lakes and Energy for the state was present at the meeting. Representatives say the waste could potentially go to any Class 2 Landfill - but the US Army Corps of Engineers wants to play it safe.
EGLE said only five landfills in the country could accept the waste, and Wayne Disposal is the closest geographically to the New York cleanup site.
"I’d love to know from the Army Corps what efforts they’ve made to identify additional sites," Cullen said.
All questions they hope to answer in a town hall-style meeting that will take place next Wednesday. The county will work with its attorneys and state and federal officials for possible solutions.