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Van Buren Twp. residents push back on expansion of waste site

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Published  June 26, 2025 10:43pm EDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 2 Detroit
Residents push back on waste site expansion

Residents push back on waste site expansion

State officials are considering an application from a local landfill to expand its existing facility, which takes in nuclear waste from other states, including the World War II Manhattan Project.

The Brief

    • Scores of Wayne County residents are protesting against more nuclear waste storage as state officials consider expanding a local landfill facility.
    • Residents feel frustrated by insufficient answers at meetings, with experts needing more research before a decision in a few months.
    • Wayne Disposal, Inc.'s expansion bid faces opposition; EGLE's permit approvals for toxic waste are criticized by locals.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Scores of Wayne County residents are up in arms, fighting to stop more nuclear waste from being stored in the area. 

What they're saying:

State officials are considering an application from a local landfill to expand its existing facility, which takes in nuclear waste from other states, including the World War II Manhattan Project.

Residents say they're not getting enough answers, and many walked out in frustration because of it. Experts on the issue asked as many questions as they could, but more research is needed, and a decision is expected in a few months.

Big picture view:

Many residents are sick of nuclear waste from New York and other parts of the country being brought in for storage, with no interest in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) approving a bid from Wayne Disposal, Inc. to expand its footprint, which would allow for even more nuclear waste to be stored.

"EGLE has become a rubber stamp for these companies," said Rick Rippey. "They’ve never turned down a permit for toxic waste. They allow them to expand and expand and expand."

Inside the informational meeting, there were moments of tension as state environmental officials did their best to answer questions relating to the safe transport and storage of such waste. 

"I’m curious about what the safety plan in place is in the event of an airplane strike directly in the heart of the WDI facility and if that occurs in transport on the way in or out of a truck just outside the gates by our lake," asked one resident at the meeting.  

"So, transportation is evaluated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and we don’t have additional specific rules here necessarily in Michigan, but they evaluate hazardous materials for safe transport," Radioactive Materials Unit Supervisor Jay Paquette responded.

Dig deeper:

It’s not the first time Wayne County residents have tried to stop the waste from being brought in. 

It was not the first time some people had been to the meeting. 

In August 2024, nearly 4,000 gallons of radioactive groundwater and 6,000 cubic yards of radioactive waste were slated to come into Wayne County from the Manhattan Project, a research and development program that developed the first nuclear weapons in World War II. 

Many local officials were caught off guard at the time. Meanwhile, state officials say their review is ongoing.

What's next:

State environmental officials made it clear that no decision was being made tonight. They are still in fact-finding mode before deciding whether to approve the expansion request. That decision is expected to be made within the year. 

Many Wayne County's top leaders say they are strongly against the waste storage expansion.

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