Washtenaw County is already encircled by numerous long‑lived landfills. Within roughly 50 miles, there are 16 active facilities with about 13 years of permitted capacity remaining. Importantly, the state’s capacity figures reflect only space currently permitted by EGLE and exclude proposed expansions. Most of these sites are owned and operated by highly profitable corporations that are planning to increase capacity—not wind down operations. Several landfills, including Pine Tree Acres and McGill Road Landfill, are actively seeking permits to expand.

Over the next 6–8 months, Washtenaw County will take the critical steps to approve or deny the proposed New Landfill north of Six Mile Road. This post provides residents with publicly available information on upcoming Materials Management Planning (MMP) Committee meetings, public comment opportunities, and how these fit into the decision timeline. 

Since 2023, independent testing by The Conservancy Initiative has repeatedly found PFOS contamination in stormwater flowing from Arbor Hills into a Johnson Creek tributary. EGLE cited the landfill for this issue back in 2021, yet the problem persists.

From 2022–2024, Michigan landfills took in about 10.3 million tons of waste from Canada. In that same period, Arbor Hills accepted about 6.1 million tons of waste from all sources.

On March 25, 2026, an operator at GFL's Arbor Hills Landfill intentionally bypassed the facility's PFAS pretreatment system for four hours to perform unscheduled maintenance. This action released a highly concentrated "slug discharge" of untreated leachate into the Northville Sanitary Sewer, with PFOS levels far exceeding allowable limits. The slug discharge was heading to the Ypsilanti Community Utility Authority (YCUA).

This blog post reviews Salem Township’s financial position. The Township has some of the lowest tax rates in Southeast Michigan. Based on our review of the Township’s financial statements, the Township is well prepared for the shutdown of Arbor Hills and should not need to raise taxes when the landfill stops accepting trash.

Sometimes the truth hurts. But the truth is exactly what county officials and the public need before they make an irreversible decision to add a NEW LANDFILL on top of an operator already struggling to control PFAS at its existing site. Here is the truth that needs to be considered.  

The Arbor Hills Landfill is a significant source of PFAS contamination in southeast Michigan, yet little is being done to stop the pollution. At the same time, Washtenaw County is considering whether to let the landfill's owner, Green for Life (GFL), build a NEW LANDFILL just north of Arbor Hills.

Say it all in 3 Minutes …

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners accepts public comments near the beginning of every meeting. The meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month. https://www.washtenaw.org/2874/Board-Meeting-Agendas-Minutes

The Conservancy Initiative has new PFAS test results from Johnson Creek that reinforce a clear pattern of contamination from the Arbor Hills Landfill and raise serious questions about GFL’s bid to build a new landfill in Salem Township.

The Conservancy Initiative has offered to be a resource to the Washtenaw County Commissioners as they review GFL's proposal to build and operate a NEW LANDFILL. This decision will affect public health and the environment for generations, and the information coming from GFL needs to be independently checked. The Conservancy Initiative can help interpret technical data, fact‑check GFL's claims, and explain the real impacts of the Arbor Hills Landfill, and we should be given a meaningful voice in this process.

GFL Claim - GFL reports it has invested millions of dollars in upgrades and improvements at the Arbor Hills Landfill.

Reality - While GFL has made significant investments at Arbor Hills, many of these expenditures were not voluntary upgrades; they were made to resolve violations, reduce penalties, or respond to sustained community pressure.

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.