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Did you know Green for Life (GFL) is based in Canada and is a major trash collector in Windsor, Ontario? If you travel Beck Road near 5 Mile you have probably been stuck behind a large WDS (Windsor Disposal Services) trash truck. Green for Life owns WDS.
Since Green for Life took ownership of the Arbor Hills Landfill in late 2020, 20% to 25% of the trash being buried at Arbor Hills originates in Canada.
Currently, approximately 75,000 cu yards of trash from Canada is being received per month. We estimate this is over 600 trucks per month.
Washtenaw County, widely believed to be the most progressive county in the state, home of the University of Michigan, has become the county of choice for Ontario’s Waste
Arbor Hills was approved by Washtenaw County to provide a final home for waste generated by Washtenaw County. Currently, Washtenaw County is contributing less than 15% of the volume at Arbor Hills.
A potential justification for the Canadian waste is the landfill host fees. Salem Township receives approximately $2.5 million per year, and Washtenaw County receives approximately $1.0 million per year.
In the 3 years prior to GFL, Arbor Hills accepted ZERO waste from Canada.
The enclosed charts speak for themselves. The Conservancy Initiative obtained this data through a Freedom of Information Act Request from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The data is provided quarterly to EGLE by every solid waste landfill in the state.
Chart 1 - Waste from Canada
Chart 2 - Waste County (or Country) of Origin
What Can You Do?
Michigan’s system of siting and approving the location of landfills is imperfect. The process is controlled by the host county (Washtenaw County). Communities in neighboring counties (Northville and Plymouth) have very little input into the process, even though the truck traffic uses our roads; the landfill utilizes our sanitary sewers; and odors typically drift towards our neighborhoods. We must use any influence we have to convince Washtenaw County leaders to never allow a landfill expansion at Arbor Hills.
Michigan imposes the lowest landfill tipping fees (taxes) in the Midwest. The low tipping fees coupled with the abundance of landfill space in Michigan creates very attractive landfill pricing which attracts waste from other states and Canada. The low landfill tipping fees are barriers to recycling opportunities. Do we want to be known as the Landfill State or the Great Lake States? Tell your elected officials.