On Wednesday, a group of southeast Michigan communities secured assurance that they would not be host to thousands of cubic tons of waste from sites used to develop the atomic bomb in World War II.
Judge Kevin J. Cox of the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County issued an order granting a permanent injunction blocking Wayne Disposal Inc. from receiving radioactive waste from a storage site in Lewiston, New York, as well as any other sites contaminated by the United States’ early atomic energy program. Cox issued a temporary injunction on accepting the waste in 2025.
Belleville, Romulus, Canton, Van Buren Township and the Van Buren Township fire chief filed a lawsuit against the landfill in 2024, after residents learned 6,000 cubic yards of soil and 4,000 gallons of groundwater contaminated with radiation would be transported to the area for disposal.
Miller cheered the ruling, calling it “a major victory for the people of Van Buren Township, Belleville, Romulus, Sumpter, Canton and communities across Wayne County who stood up and made it clear that we are not a dumping ground for dangerous radioactive waste.”
“This outcome did not happen by accident,” Miller said in a statement. “It happened because residents spoke up, local governments took action, advocates stayed engaged and people refused to back down when faced with a dangerous status quo. This ruling is very powerful because the courts validated what residents and elected officials have been saying. This wasn’t just a permitting controversy; it was a public health and community protection issue.”
While Camilleri was similarly appreciative of the ruling, he stressed that further action is needed to protect Michigan communities from hazardous waste.
“While we celebrate this ruling, we must also continue our fight to pass sweeping hazardous waste reform in our state’s capital,” Camilleri said. “Senate Bills 246 and 247 would raise tipping fees, create oversight on our landfills, and ensure that no community is put in harm’s way due to the disposal of toxic materials. It’s imperative that leadership in our House of Representatives take action on this legislation immediately and do what’s right to keep Michigan clean and safe.”
Camilleri’s bills were referred to the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee in August 2025, where they await further action.
