From FY2022 through FY2025, Michigan landfills accepted a staggering 10 million tons of Canadian waste. For perspective, Arbor Hills Landfill accepted 6 million tons of waste from all sources.

Following the Corporate Money Trail

This massive influx isn't an accident—it's driven by profit. Mega-landfills like Pine Tree Acres (Waste Management), Carleton Farms (Republic Services), and, to a lesser extent, Arbor Hills (GFL Environmental) handle 95% of the Canadian waste entering Michigan and are run by multinational corporations. They exploit Michigan's low tipping fees and excess capacity simply to increase shareholder value at our expense.

The Legal Roadblock

While Michiganders agree this needs to stop, federal courts have ruled that solid waste is protected under interstate commerce laws. The courts, including the Supreme Court, have ruled that Michigan cannot regulate interstate commerce – only the Federal Government.

What We Can Do

While the legal path is difficult, solutions exist:

Leverage Host County Agreements: Host counties (like Macomb, Wayne, and Washtenaw) can make new landfill-capacity approvals contingent on voluntary agreements to cap or reduce Canadian waste.
Demand Federal Action: Congress must grant states explicit legal authority to restrict out-of-country municipal solid waste.

The solution is not easy, but we must keep trying to fix this imbalance. Michigan landfills should be preserved for Michigan Waste.

Take Action

Tell your local leaders in Wayne, Macomb, and Washtenaw counties to use their leverage and say no to turning Michigan into an international dumping ground for corporate profit!