The Michigan Senate voted to prevent certain radioactive materials from being disposed of in the state. The聽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.
鈥淭his is something that both Democrats and Republicans should do to try their best to appeal to our residents. It鈥檚 not about winning an election. It鈥檚 about doing the right thing once we have held these positions,鈥� 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.