BELLEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — McBride Middle School in Van Buren Township is in its final renovation phase, and Van Buren School District Superintendent Peter Kudlak is beyond excited.
"It's ceiling, floors, tech, paint, furniture, everything has been redone, and next Tuesday we will open our doors. New backpacks, shiny shoes for the kids, and the new building the kids will be walking into," said Kudlak.
But here is the problem: the school, which has around 500 kids, is down the road from Wayne Disposal facility, the place just off I-94 that is set to receive and process radioactive waste from New York starting next month until January 2025.
"So you think this is going to dampen the mood a little bit?" asked Faraz Javed, 7 News Detroit reporter.
"I think so a little bit. There is a, for lack of a better word, a cloud that everybody is concerned about this," said Kudlak.
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As per the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, about 25 decontaminated semi-trucks are expected to arrive weekly at the Republic Service-owned facility. The waste containing 6,000 cubic yards of soil and concrete and 4,000 gallons of groundwater is coming from the Niagra Falls Storage site dating back to the 1940s, where the New York facility became a primary storage location for byproducts associated with uranium ore refining used for atomic bombs as part of the Manhattan Project.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Community worried as radioactive waste heads for Wayne County landfill
"Just looking at the map right now, Wayne Disposal site is right here; you've got 8 schools all pretty much surrounding this area, and obviously McBride being the closest; what are you most concerned about?" asked Javed.
"You know, we've had some assurances that it's going to be disposed of properly and it's safe, but if things do happen then that could be leaking into the groundwater, so making sure our water is tested and safe, so I think as the conversation continues today at Wayne county, we will hopefully have more answers to hopefully raise that confidence," said Kudlak.
Wayne County Commissioners held a public discussion today in Downtown Detroit, raising concerns about transparency of the hazardous waste arriving in the county, especially since this is not the first time.
WATCH THE PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THE WASTE BELOW
"Who benefits from accepting and storing toxic waste? Republic Services, Van Buren Township, State of Michigan? Certainly, it isn't our residents. Please do whatever you can to stop this," said Bernice Lindke, a concerned resident.
"I think we have to eliminate financial incentives for these companies to use Michigan as their dumping ground," said Glenn Anderson, Wayne County Commissioner.
And a father of six, James Gray also had his own questions.
"Why us? Why here? We are people, and we don't want pollutants around our family," asked Gray, a Van Buren Township resident.
The 43-year-old grew up in this neighborhood. In fact, Gray graduated from the McBride Middle School in 2000.
"Now, the Wayne disposal site is a licensed facility; it's a federally approved facility. Is that some sort of assurance for you?" asked Javed.
"I'm not sure at this point," said Gray.
"What kind of assurances would you want?" asked Javed.
"Is it easy to find out what pollutants are there? How are they being disposed of?" said Gray.
Meanwhile, Republic Services says that the hazardous waste will be managed safely and in compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations. Also, to discuss this matter further, a town hall meeting is scheduled for September 4th, 6 pm at the Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) Ted Scott Campus, Room B121, 9555 Haggerty Rd., Belleville.
The following people/entities are expected to attend:
- Rep. Debbie Dingell
- Wayne County Executive Warren Evans
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- Republic Services, Inc.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Other state and local officials
