Canadian Trash

1
Canadian Trash

• Whats the Big Deal?
• By Craig M. Collier

2
Canadian Trash Statistics

• On January 1, 2003, the City of Toronto switched
  from shipping two-thirds of its trash, to
  shipping all of its trash - 1.1 million tons - to
  Michigan landfills
• Accounts for 20 of all the trash in Michigan
• Over 180 municipal solid waste shipments cross
  into Michigan every day from Canada

3
Problems for Michiganders

• Dramatically decreases Michigans landfill
  capacity
• Michigan is prepared to take care of their OWN
  trash not everyone elses
• Tremendous negative impact on Michigans
  environment
• Negative impact on the public health of our
  citizens

4
More Problems

• Traffic Delays
• Ambassador Bridge and Blue Water Bridge
• Busiest parts of Metro Detroit
• The stench of exhaust and garbage

5
Whats in the Trash?

• ALL of Canadas municipal waste
• Canada has no recycling program
• More landfill space taken up by items normally
  recycled in the US
• Paper
• Metal
• Glass
• Plastic

6
What ELSE is in the Trash?

• Anything!
• Mostly day-to-day waste
• Radioactive materials
• Marijuana and other drugs
• Dead bodies
• Trash is harder to inspect than regular cargo

7
1986 Legislation

• An agreement is made between the US Government
  and the Government of Canada concerning the
  Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste
• States that Canada must notify the US of a
  shipment of waste and America can either agree or
  object to the shipment

8
1992

• Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste was
  amended to include municipal solid waste (so all
  Canadian waste can be imported)
• The US Supreme Court ruled that states cannot
  limit the amount of trash imported without
  Congressional consent

9
The Greenwood Bill

• Solid Waste Interstate Transportation Act of
  2001
• No landfill or incinerator may accept
  out-of-state municipal solid waste unless they
  are deemed to be in compliance with applicable
  Federal and State laws
• States are granted the power to limit
  out-of-state waste
• Has not been passed (yet), but it is getting
  major attention

10
February 7, 2002

• Three major bills are introduced into the
  Michigan House of Representatives
• House Bill No. 5599
• House Bill No. 5602
• House Bill No. 5998
• All would amend Natural resources and
  environmental protection act

11
House Bill No. 5599

• Adds sections 11526a and 11526b
• Sec. 11562a THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INSPECT AT THE
  MICHIGAN BORDER EACH SOLID WASTE TRANSPORTING
  UNIT THAT IS BEING USED TO TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE
  FROM CANADA ALONG A PUBLIC ROAD
• Gives US the duty to inspect all Canadian trash

12
House Bill No. 5599

• Sec. 11526a (cont) Inspectors will be looking
  for three things
• A) To see if the truck is designed and maintained
  to transport solid waste
• B) To make sure the owner or the truck is
  following standards
• C) To make sure the solid waste does not threaten
  our health or safety

13
House Bill No. 5599

• The person(s) that generated the trash must pay
  to have it inspected
• Sec. 11526b Creates the Solid Waste Inspection
  Fund within the State Treasury
• The money in this fund shall only be used to
  carry out inspections required by Sec. 11526a

14
House Bill No. 5602

• Adds section 11528a
• Sec. 11528a A SOLID WASTE HAULER SHALL NOT
  TRANSPORT SOLID WASTE ORIGINATING IN CANADA
  UNLESS THE SOLID WASTE IS IN HERMETICALLY SEALED
  CONTAINERS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE SOLID WASTE OR
  ANY SUBSTANCE INCLUDED IN THE SOLID WASTE FROM
  ENTERING THE ENVIRONMENT
• Protects the environment by making sure the trash
  is contained properly

15
House Bill No. 5998

• Amends section 11549
• Sec. 11549 A SOLID WASTE HAULER THAT TRANSPORTS
  INTO THIS STATE SOLID WASTE FROM CANADA THAT HAS
  NOT BEEN INSPECTED AS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION
  11526A IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY A
  FINE AND COSTS OF PROSECUTION
• Sets up punishments for not having trash inspected

16
2003 Actions

• House Bill No. 4098 (Jan 2003)
• States that Canada be notified that disposing of
  (or incinerating) tires, batteries, yard
  clippings, used oil, and similar waste products
  is prohibited and will not be accepted into
  Michigan landfills
• Requires that a list be made of countries that
  have a good solid waste disposal system and
  certifies these countries to dispose of trash in
  Michigan

17
2003 Actions (cont)

• House Bill No. 4099 (Jan 2003)
• A person shall not knowingly dispose of, and an
  owner or operator of a landfill shall not
  knowingly permit the disposal of
• Medical waste
• Returnable containers (those containers that can
  be recycled for a deposit)

18
2003 Actions (cont)

• Senate Bill 0098 (Jan 2003)
• States that in order to ship waste to Michigan, a
  country must display that they are AT LEAST as
  strict about what they put in their trash as
  Michigan is
• Makes it illegal for a landfill owner to accept
  waste other than this

19
2003 Actions (cont)

• June, 2003
• New inspection equipment added to both major
  Canada/Michigan bridges
• Makes sure more trucks are inspected
• Makes it easier to inspect trucks containing
  waste
• Makes inspections more thorough

20
What can I do?

• SIGN THE PETITION!
• Petition urges legislators to enforce laws
  already in place (mostly 1986s Transboundary
  Movement of Hazardous Waste)
• Petition can be found (and signed) online
• http//stabenow.senate.gov/stoptrash

21
References

• From Senator Debbie Stabenows website
  http//stabenow.senate.gov/
• Senator Debbie Stabenow Logs Almost 33,000
  Signatures on Canadian Trash Petition Drive in
  Three Days
• Join the Fight to Stop Canadian Trash Now!

22
References

• From State of Michigan website http//www.michigan
  .gov/
• Governer Granholm Calls for Federal Action on
  Canadian Trash
• Lt. Governer Meets with Congressional Leaders on
  Stopping Canadian Trash
• Posthumus Calls on Congress to Say NO! to
  Canadian Trash
• Posthumus to Toronto Michigan Doesnt Want
  Your Trash

23
References

• From Michigan Legislation website
  http//www.michiganlegislature.org/
• Information on all House and Senate Bills