The Michigan Senate voted Tuesday to prevent certain radioactive materials from being disposed of in the state.
The legislation would also more than double fees for dumping hazardous waste.
Package sponsor state Senator Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) said this is among the top issues for his constituents downriver from Detroit.
“This is something that both Democrats and Republicans should do to try their best to appeal to our residents. It’s not about winning an election. It’s about doing the right thing once we have held these positions,” Camilleri said.
The issue of waste dumping has been a concern in Michigan for many years. In 2023, community members fought against having toxic waste from a train derailment in Ohio shipped to Van Buren Twp.
Courts recently blocked a southeast Michigan landfill from accepting Manhattan Project-era nuclear waste from a cleanup site in New York.
Business groups oppose the legislation, arguing toxic waste disposal is already highly regulated and that the bills would limit options for safely getting rid of waste.
Mike Alaimo is senior director of legislative and external affairs with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. He said the new restrictions would potentially cause disposal sites to close.
That could force manufacturers and other businesses to send their waste far away from Michigan.
“You’re talking about significant additional transportation costs, regulatory and compliance costs, that you would see if these bills were to move forward,” Alaimo said.
He said the Michigan Chamber is open to conversations around making the state safer and improving waste dumping. Though he mentioned he sees some of this debate as an issue of education.
“It really is a critical asset to the state that these companies are able to dispose of their waste products safely and under a heavily regulated system at a cost-effective way,” Alaimo said.
Camilleri, however, said the fees need to go up.
“Right now, we are one of the cheapest places in the country to dump garbage and hazardous waste. That is unacceptable for a state that holds 90 percent of the nation’s fresh water,” Camilleri said.
Senate Republicans voted no on his bill package.
The legislation now heads to the Republican-controlled Michigan House where leadership says the bills are dead on arrival.
