BELLEVILLE, Mich. – For the first time, Wayne Disposal -- a long-controversial hazardous waste landfill in Wayne County -- is opening its gates to Local 4 for a look inside its operations.
Sitting on the border of Van Buren Township and Belleville, the facility has been at the center of intense community concern for decades.
Residents, environmental advocates and lawmakers have repeatedly raised red flags about the site -- most recently, when it was slated to receive material from the Manhattan Project.
That shipment was ultimately diverted, but the questions about health and safety still linger.
Our tour of Wayne Disposal lasted about two hours and covered the full 120-acre site. It’s home to both a landfill and a treatment facility -- both operated by Republic Services, one of the largest waste management companies in the country.
Every incoming truck is sampled to verify that its contents match the paperwork and what’s described.
“If at any time something doesn’t match, then everything stops,” said William Carr with Republic Services.
If approved, trucks head to the landfill portion of the site, which Carr describes as a “highly-engineered and highly-designed facility.”
The landfill is also covered with a detailed liner system.
“It’s equivalent to 20-foot compacted clay between the waste mass and the bottom of the landfill,” Carr said.
A Long History of Public Concern
The landfill has been around since the 1950s and is currently one of the few facilities in Michigan licensed to accept hazardous waste. It was designated as a regional asset -- meaning it can accept waste from outside the state -- and has done so for years.
But that designation has come with fierce backlash.
Residents worry about groundwater contamination, airborne dust, and the long-term environmental impact of hosting out-of-state waste.
“Why not do this somewhere else when people say they don’t want it in their backyard?” Reporter Lauren Kostiuk asked.
“Like I said, this facility was established as a regional asset a number of years ago and continues to be so,” Carr said.
Stormwater, Monitoring, and Regulations
Wayne Disposal, Inc. is licensed by both the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
It is designed to handle industrial byproducts, contaminated soil, and other forms of hazardous material -- not municipal trash.
The site includes an extensive liner system, leachate collection, and groundwater monitoring systems.
“One thing to keep in mind is that every drop of water that hits this property all gets managed and goes through some form of treatment,” Carr said.
According to Republic Services, the facility is equipped with more than 100 environmental monitors and is regularly tested for compliance with state and federal safety standards.
“We are a highly engineered facility. We got operating controls that the facility is working under,” said Sylwia Scott, the Republic Services Compliance Officer.
In addition to long-standing concerns, the facility is currently applying for a vertical expansion -- essentially, permission to build up and increase capacity.
The application is under review by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and public feedback is ongoing.
“The data proves the fact that we are safe. Everything is safe,” Scott said.
Despite company assurances, many residents remain unconvinced -- and want more opportunities to ask their own questions directly.