Washtenaw County will soon review a proposal from Green for Life (GFL) to operate a NEW LANDFILL in Salem Township for the next 50+ years. The Conservancy Initiative cautions county officials to do their due diligence, including speaking directly with EGLE about the current landfill's environmental performance.

At a recent Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners meeting, an employee of Green for Life (GFL) presented the "GFL version" of the PFAS contamination that has been entering Johnson Creek since at least 2020. PFAS are long-lasting, man-made chemicals that pose significant health and environmental risks. The failure of both GFL and the previous operator of the Arbor Hills Landfill to act promptly has allowed PFAS contamination to spread within the landfill fence line, into Johnson Creek, and likely into fish caught there.

Nearly 300 residents packed the room for our recent Stop Arbor Hills Town Hall—and what an incredible turnout it was! We saw many familiar faces and were thrilled to welcome so many new community members who share our commitment to protecting our environment and quality of life. <CLICK HERE> for a copy of the presentation material.   

The Washtenaw County Materials Management committee is expected to consider Green for Life’s proposal to build an NEW LANDFILL in Salem Township in early 2026. The purpose of this Town Hall is to rally support to oppose the proposed new landfill.

Please plan to attend.

Arbor Hills continues to mismanage the landfill. The latest evidence shows 90 odor complaints in just 15 days, during the coldest part of the year. We shouldn't let such a poorly managed landfill expand. One way we can do this is by collecting signatures on a public petition to the committee responsible for deciding on the new landfill.

We are only 12 days into December, and the Arbor Hills Landfill has received 69 odor complaints. 58 unique residents submitted the complaints. The odor complaints were submitted during extremely cold winter weather, when windows are not open, and most folks avoid being outdoors.  

EGLE's Waste Data System (WDS) has been updated to include FY2025 (Oct 2024 – Sept 2025) information from all Michigan landfills. We've included a screenshot of the latest data for Arbor Hills. Below are several facts demonstrating that a NEW LANDFILL is not needed. Reducing landfill capacity will encourage recycling and reduce landfill waste. Note – the WDS data is reported in cubic yards and is converted to tons in the charts below.  

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is the most important approval GFL needs to allow a NEW LANDFILL. GFL is actively lobbying Board members by inviting them to tour the landfill and painting a rosy picture of its operations.

The Board of Commissioners needs to hear both sides of the story. Letters or emails to the Commissioners only take a few minutes.

Green for Life’s record at the Arbor Hills landfill shows a consistent “minimal compliance” approach—only addressing environmental standards when absolutely necessary and often using the enforcement process to delay significant upgrades. The company’s inability to reliably meet PFOS discharge limits, despite years of warnings and updated regulations, demonstrates a reluctance to invest in effective treatment technology until regulators exert pressure. 

A sample taken directly downstream of the small tributary, which drains stormwater runoff from the Arbor Hills Landfill, contained 83 ng/l of PFOS (a forever chemical), which exceeds the legal limit of 12 ng/l.

At the current rate of incoming trash, the Arbor Hills Landfill will reach its permitted capacity within 3 years and will need to close its gates. Space is so limited that the truck scales at the landfill entrance were recently relocated to make room for the last shipments of trash.

In June 2021, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) became aware that the Arbor Hills Landfill was discharging stormwater runoff into Johnson Creek. EGLE issued a violation notice (VN-011821) requiring a detailed study of the PFOS contamination and promising an Administrative Consent Order to correct the illegal discharges. Four years have passed, yet EGLE has not issued the Consent Order, and the stormwater discharge from Arbor Hills continues to exceed water quality standards for PFOS.

Many residents recently received a letter from the law firm Liddle Sheets P.C.s requesting information for a potential class action lawsuit against the Arbor Hills Landfill. The Conservancy Initiative has attempted to contact Liddle Sheets P.C., but we have not received a return call. We are writing to share our perspective and recommend that residents do not respond to this request. Our community must remain united and focused on a single goal: stopping the proposed new landfill in Salem Township. NO NEW LANDFILL!