Federal Waste Shipments Suspended After Judge’s Intervention
The federal government has paused hazardous waste shipments from Ohio to a Michigan landfill following a court ruling in a separate case involving shipments from New York. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees waste disposal from a contaminated site in Ohio, announced the suspension on Friday.
Impact of the Court Decision
The pause follows a temporary order issued by a Detroit-area judge, which halted plans to transport low-level radioactive waste from Lewiston, New York, to Wayne Disposal, a landfill located in Van Buren Township, Michigan. Local communities have expressed concerns about the safety risks posed by the disposal of radioactive materials at the landfill. A court hearing on the matter is set for September 26.
In response to the ruling, the Army Corps also decided to halt waste shipments from Luckey, Ohio, where hazardous materials such as beryllium, lead, uranium, and thorium have been handled. Avery Schneider, a spokesman for the Corps, confirmed, “We are not currently shipping from Ohio” while the agency reviews the court’s decision.
Hazardous Materials in Question
The Luckey, Ohio site, once home to beryllium production during and after World War II, has required extensive clean-up due to the presence of toxic metals and radioactive materials. Wayne Disposal in Van Buren Township is one of the few U.S. landfills permitted to handle such hazardous waste.
“The material that has been shipped includes beryllium, lead, uranium, and thorium-contaminated soils, along with various building debris,” Schneider added.
Community Concerns and Legal Actions
The lawsuit that led to the court’s decision was brought by four nearby Michigan communities, including Canton Township. The elected supervisor of Canton Township, Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, voiced relief at the suspension of waste shipments from Ohio, stating, “That’s good,” when informed of the pause.
Republic Services, the company operating the Wayne Disposal landfill, maintains that it meets or exceeds federal safety regulations for handling hazardous materials. Nonetheless, local residents and officials remain concerned about the potential risks.
New York Waste Linked to Manhattan Project
The waste shipments from New York involve contaminated soil from Lewiston, a site connected to the Manhattan Project, the U.S. government’s secret initiative to develop atomic bombs during World War II. No waste has been transported to Michigan from New York yet, but the court’s ruling has prompted broader scrutiny of hazardous waste disposal at the Michigan landfill.
As the legal battle continues, waste shipments from both Ohio and New York remain on hold pending further court hearings and assessments.
