VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A Michigan judge postponed his decision Tuesday regarding the controversial storage of radioactive waste at Wayne Disposal Inc., a landfill facility in Van Buren Township.
The case stems from a September lawsuit against Wayne Disposal Inc. That is when the company agreed to accept contaminated soil and debris from a Manhattan Project disposal site in Western New York.
The material, which contains low-level radioactive waste from the World War II-era atomic weapons program, has sparked significant community concern.
“There’s a storage site in Utah with a 10-mile population of one person. We have 365,000 people living within 10 miles of this facility. It’s the worst place on the planet for this to go,” said Chris Donely, a Van Buren Township resident and member of “Michigan Against Atomic Waste.”
Following 50 minutes of closing arguments and an off-the-record discussion, attorneys say the judge decided to “take the case under advisement.” This means the judge needs additional time to review the evidence and arguments presented before making his final ruling.
During Tuesday’s special hearing, attorneys representing Wayne Disposal Inc. maintain there are no safety risks associated with the proposed storage.
“There is no exposure concern. Not only within the landfill for the workers but at the perimeter of the landfill and obviously behind that as well,” the attorney said.
However, local residents remain unconvinced.
Belleville resident Jeneen Rippey expressed mixed feelings about the delay.
“We’re disappointed we don’t have a decision, but I think both sides presented their case and we had a good showing from our community,” she said.
The controversy extends beyond the current case. Wayne Disposal is also seeking approval for a vertical expansion of the facility. State regulators have yet to make a final decision on the expansion request.
“We know it’s going to take time, but we have confidence that our legal system will work in a way that will protect the rights of our citizens and the health and safety of our community,” Rippey said.
The judge is expected to issue a ruling within the next few weeks, marking another chapter in the ongoing dispute between the landfill operators and local residents over environmental safety concerns.