LANSING – Genesee County's Democratic state representatives today lambasted the GOP-controlled Legislature for allowing the expansion of a Wayne County landfill that accepts all 1.1 million tons of Toronto's trash – the result of Republicans' refusal to renew a ban on new landfills that expired in December.
"Genesee County is a beautiful place, and we don't want more trash or more landfills to ruin our land, water and way of life," said Rep. Lee Gonzales (D-Flint Township). "Business-as-usual has opened the floodgates for more trash and it has got to stop. We must put a lid on landfills and protect our communities."
"More landfills mean more trash surging into Michigan, and that includes Genesee County," said Rep. John J. Gleason (D-Flushing), whose district includes the Brent Run landfill. "Genesee County is a great place to fish, hunt and enjoy the outdoors. It shouldn't be treated like a dumping ground for other people's garbage."
The latest landfill to get permission to expand is Carleton Farms Landfill in Wayne County.
The Department of Environmental Quality has asked the Legislature to reinstate the ban, which would have given the department legal authority to prevent any landfill expansion. The Republican-led Legislature refused. Since the ban was lifted on Jan. 1, 2006, five other landfill operations have either expanded or requested permission to expand, including Pine Tree Acres in Macomb County, Woodland Meadows in Wayne County, Southeast Berrien County Landfill, Whitefeather Landfill in Bay County and a proposed new landfill in Allegan County.
"Enough is enough," said Rep. Brenda Clack (D-Flint). "Hundreds of Canadian trash trucks rumble into Michigan each day, threatening our neighborhoods and our land and water. The Republican-controlled Legislature must end the delays and act now to protect our communities from Canadian and out-of-state trash."
"The best way to turn back the trash trucks that are rumbling in from across our border is to stop expanding our landfills," said Rep. Paula Zelenko (D-Burton). "We cannot allow the status quo to continue. We must put our working families, our land and water, and our way of life ahead of special interests and the trash lobby."
Michigan has an estimated 17 years of landfill space left for citizens in the state – but that space is being gobbled up by garbage from Canada, Ohio, Wisconsin, New Jersey and other states.