MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — The city of Madison Heights has now received funding to demolition the plant at the site of the I-696 green ooze.
RELATED: State announces groundwater cleanup plan at site of I-696 green ooze
Electro-Plating Services is the plant responsible for what's now infamously known as the "green ooze site." In 2019, green ooze was seen seeping onto I-696 in Madison Heights, drawing concerns from residents and state officials.
The company's owner, Gary Sayers, had a history of improperly storing chemicals. He was convicted and sentenced to serve time at Morgantown Federal Correctional Institute in West Virginia for storing hazardous waste.
However, due to the pandemic, Sayers qualified for release from prison and ordered to home confinement.
On Wednesday, Madison Heights Mayor Roslyn Grafstein released a statement regarding demolition of the green ooze site, which was made possible after the Michigan Legislature passed the state budget for fiscal year 2020-2021. The budget includes $600,000 in funding to demolish the Electro-Plating Services site.
“I appreciate our legislators stepping in to help with funding the demolition and remediation of this site," Grafstein said. "I’m eager to usher our community through the full cleanup and I’m looking forward to new development on this property in the future, as these problems have plagued the Madison Heights community for long enough."
