Washtenaw County is considering allowing decades of additional waste disposal at Arbor Hills. Before doing so, decision makers should ask a basic financial question: If future contamination occurs, who ultimately pays?
GFL Environmental Files Permit to Destroy 33+ Acres of Wetlands for Proposed Landfill
GFL Environmental has quietly filed a permit application to permanently destroy over 33 acres of local wetlands to clear the way for a proposed landfill north of the Arbor Hills site.
To meet regulatory requirements, GFL plans to construct roughly 64 acres of replacement wetlands near Six Mile and Currie Roads—about a mile from the project site—which they claim will eventually become a community park.
This project fits a frustrating pattern: Northville shoulders the environmental burden of a new landfill, while Salem gets rewarded with a new park.
Washtenaw County should be better than this!
The Aggressive Timeline
GFL is pushing a fast-tracked schedule:
Late 2027: Move heavy machinery onto the site to begin earthwork.
Spring 2028: Construction continues.
Fall 2028: First landfill cell construction.
Why This Concerns Us
No wetland clearing or heavy earthwork associated with the proposed landfill should begin until GFL has secured all legally required approvals, including permits (Air Pollution, Construction, etc.) for the new landfill. GFL must not be allowed to permanently destroy existing wetlands until full legal approval is granted.
Figure 1 - Runoff from the new landfill will be routed to this Cold Water Trout Stream tributary. Source: ECT Wetlands Determination, May 2, 2024
A Few Details from the Drawings
The proposed landfill will be 200 ft high; the compost yard will be eliminated; landfill runoff will be directed into a Johnson Creek tributary; and it borders wetlands to the north. And GFL’s own alternatives analysis considered landfill configurations that would eliminate Six Mile Road.
This Permit Is Not a Done Deal
Because GFL proposes to permanently destroy more than 33 acres of regulated wetlands, this is a major wetland-permit proceeding and will require public notice. Residents will have an opportunity to submit formal comments to EGLE and can request a public hearing. Those comments can challenge the demonstrated need for the project, GFL’s alternatives analysis, the environmental impacts, and proposed permit conditions.
TCI will share the EGLE public-comment information as soon as the notice is issued.
Action Needed: Speak Up Now!
GFL is expected to present details about the proposed landfill at the next committee meeting, with a decisive vote on the project slated for December.
Make your voice heard at the upcoming meeting:
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 9th at 10:00 AM
Location: Washtenaw County Learning Resource Center
Address: 4135 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
For more context, review the permit application narrative, wetland determination, and proposed new landfill drawings linked here.
Arbor Hills is Dangerously Overheating. Why Would Washtenaw County Approve a New Landfill??
On August 20, Bloomberg Businessweek published an analysis of public records from more than 100 landfills in 20 states. Their review found that 20 landfills, including Arbor Hills, have reported or requested permission to operate with gas well temperatures of 170°F or higher. These elevated temperatures can destroy a landfill's pollution-control liners, trigger catastrophic slope failures, increase foul leachate sevenfold, and release airborne carcinogens such as benzene.
Meeting Wednesday - GFL Presents Landfill Proposal
The Washtenaw County Materials Management Planning (MMP) Committee will meet
10 AM, Wednesday, August 19th
Washtenaw County Learning Center
4135 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor
The agenda for the meeting includes GFL presenting their proposal to construct a new landfill north of the Arbor Hills Landfill. The MMP Committee plans to hold a vote on GFL's proposal by the end of this year. This vote is a crucial step in the process of approving or denying GFL's proposal.
BetterWashtenaw
The Conservancy Initiative is encouraged to share that support for protecting Washtenaw County from the proposed new landfill is growing.
A new website, BetterWashtenaw, has begun publishing blog posts that align with our mission to oppose this proposed New Landfill in Salem Township. BetterWashtenaw highlights many of the same concerns we have raised. Additional opposition, such as BetterWashtenaw, helps raise public awareness.
We encourage our supporters to visit BetterWashtenaw, read their posts, and follow their updates. Just as importantly, please share the site with your friends, family, and colleagues, especially those located in Washtenaw County.
Together, we can continue to spotlight issues associated with the Arbor Hills site and inform anyone who will listen that a New Landfill in Washtenaw County is:
UNNEEDED
o Michigan leads the nation in Landfilled Waste per capita
o Michigan’s landfill capacity is approximately 23 years – this does not include landfill expansions which are in process
UNSAFE
o Arbor Hills' environmental compliance record is disqualifying
o Community odors and PFAS leaking into Johnson Creek
UNFAIR
o Washtenaw residents benefit while harming Wayne residents – Washtenaw is better than this!
o Washtenaw is an Environmental Leader – a New Landfill is not leadership.
EGLE Air Quality Inspection Findings
The Air Quality Division AQD of EGLE conducted a compliance review of air pollution regulations at the Arbor Hills Landfill in June 2026. The review included a site inspection, records review, and a Surface Emission Monitoring (SEM) survey. One violation notice was issued, and several troubling findings were documented.
The survey information is public but difficult for most residents to access and interpret because it is highly technical. The Conservancy Initiative is publishing this review to highlight key findings in plain English. We believe the community, including Washtenaw County leadership, must understand these findings as they consider GFL’s proposal to construct a New Landfill adjacent to the existing facility.
Washtenaw County Doesn't Need a New Landfill
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.
Washtenaw County MMP Meetings: Schedule, Strategy, and Landfill Approvals
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.
Washtenaw County Should Not Gamble on GFL
Michigan Doesn't Need a New Arbor Hills Landfill
Arbor Hills Landfill Bypasses PFAS Treatment
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).
Salem Can Keep Taxes Low Without a NEW LANDFILL
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.
Fundraising Challenge Update: Its Not too Late to Help
We have encouraging news to share. The Conservancy Initiative has raised $14,250 toward our matching gift challenge. Thank you to the many who have donated. It's not too late to help us meet this challenge. To donate and have your gift matched, or to stay informed and subscribe to updates, visit https://conservancyinitiative.org/take-action
A generous Northville resident has pledged to match every donation up to $25,000, so your contribution today will go twice as far.
Why This Campaign Matters Now
With a decision on the proposed new landfill expected later this year, this is a critical moment for our community. Your donations help The Conservancy Initiative educate and mobilize Washtenaw County voters through digital outreach, direct mail, yard signs, and in-person community engagement. Our goal is to ensure the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners clearly hears that residents do not want a new landfill in Salem Township.
The proposed new landfill is unneeded, unsafe, and unfair. Michigan already has more than 20 years of landfill capacity. The existing Arbor Hills site has a troubling history of violations and odor complaints, and nearby communities bear the pollution while others receive the financial benefits.
Every Contribution Counts
This is a nonpartisan community issue about protecting clean air, clean water, and the health of nearby neighborhoods. Every contribution, large or small, helps strengthen the public's voice at this pivotal time.
The Conservancy Initiative is a volunteer-run, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Why Is GFL Getting a New Landfill When They Can't Control PFAS at Arbor Hills?
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.
Help Stop a New Garbage Dump in Our Community
We have exciting news - An anonymous Northville resident has generously pledged to match every donation to The Conservancy Initiative up to $25,000, so your gift today will go twice as far. With a decision on the proposed new landfill expected later this year, this is a critical moment to act.
Your donation will help educate and mobilize Washtenaw County voters through digital outreach, direct mail, yard signs, and in-person community engagement so the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners hears clearly that residents do not want a new landfill in Salem Township.
The proposed NEW LANDFILL is unneeded, unsafe, and unfair. Michigan already has more than 20 years of landfill capacity; the existing Arbor Hills site has a troubling history of violations and odor complaints, and nearby communities bear the pollution while others receive the financial benefits.
This is a nonpartisan community issue about protecting clean air, clean water, and the health of nearby neighborhoods. Every contribution, large or small, helps strengthen the public's voice at a pivotal time.
Stay informed and subscribe at: https://conservancyinitiative.org/
The Conservancy Initiative is a volunteer-run, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Washtenaw County Board of Commissioner Comments
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
GFL Must Stop PFAS Discharges!!!
PFAS Leachate Treatment and Notices of Violation
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.
The Conservancy Initiative Must Rebut GFL’s Claims - Volume 1
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.
PFAS in the Stormwater Runoff from Arbor Hills
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.