Aiyash, Chang, Tlaib Address Noxious Odor Emissions from US Ecology South

State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck), Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Breathe Free Detroit, the Detroit Hamtramck Coalition for Advancing Healthy Environments, Ecology Center and local residents.

: Rep. Aiyash, Congresswoman Tlaib, Sen. Chang, environmental justice advocacy groups and residents hosted a press conference to call on the city of Detroit to hold US Ecology South accountable for its repeated odor violations and failure to be a good neighbor to the residents near the facility.

Speakers called on the city leaders to begin the process of enacting a "Host Community Agreement" with US Ecology South with the purpose of securing specific regulations and community benefits that will reduce the facility's impact on residents.

"US Ecology has received 24 violations from the state for repeatedly releasing noxious odors into the neighborhood and has proven incapable of operating this facility in a way that protects the health and welfare of the residents who live near it," Aiyash said. "We're calling on the city of Detroit to take action immediately to protect residents from harmful pollution by enacting a host community agreement with the operators of this facility."

Background:

US Ecology Detroit South is a hazardous waste storage and treatment site located at 1923 Frederick St. in Detroit. The facility was bought by US Ecology in 2014 and received 24 violation notices from the MI Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) between 2014 and November 2021. Ownership of the facility was recently transferred to Republic Services, which acquired the entire US Ecology company in May 2022.

In 2018, through determined advocacy, residents were able to secure a Host Community Agreement between the city of Detroit and US Ecology North (located at 6520 Georgia St. in Detroit). This agreement is legally binding and, among other things, requires US Ecology North to maintain regular meetings with residents near their facility as well as establishes limits on the amount and kinds of waste that are processed at the facility.