Camilleri Pushes For New Fines, Fees & Caps For Hazardous Waste Facilities In MI
June 10, 2025
When it comes to dropping hazardous waste in one of Michigan’s landfills, Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) wants fees increased from $10 per ton to $25 beginning in 2026, as well as from 0.5 cents per pound to $1.25.
Thursday, the Senate Energy and Environment Committee heard testimony on Camilleri’s SB 246 and SB 247. Camilleri’s Downriver district includes the Republican Industrial and Energy Solutions facility in Romulus, which is the state’s only injection well licensed for hazardous waste disposal.
In January 2023, the facility was flagged by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy for violating hazardous waste standards concerning container labeling and alarm system functioning. During that same year, the injection well started accepting waste from the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Another facility in Camilleri’s district is Wayne Disposal Inc. in Van Buren Township, which both accepted waste from the train derailment and is planning to receive radioactive waste from New York. The New York waste is affiliated with the Manhattan Project’s development of the atomic bomb right following World War II.
“Understandably, I’ve had countless conversations with residents and local municipal leaders who are horrified about that potentially harmful material being transported to their communities, on their roads and disposed of in their backyard,” Camilleri said to Thursday’s Senate panel. “Frankly, it is ridiculous that these facilities are located in these dense population centers in the first place.”
Through the new fees, Camilleri explained, his legislation redistributes the new revenues through a new cleanup and redevelopment fund, a community surcharge reimbursement fund and new host community grants.
For landfills overall, the bills would increase general tipping fees from 36 cents per ton to $1.20, with the first $12 million collected supporting a solid waste management fund. Both last year and this year, the Governor has proposed ramping up landfill tipping fees in Michigan.
Additionally, for hazardous waste, Camilleri explained a $500,000 “bond for class-one hazardous waste wells” will be put in place, intended to avoid any taxpayer burden if a disaster occurs.
“The biggest concern really is that the city of Romulus is right now on the hook for all types of public safety in the event of a disaster with this type of well. They would be the ones forced to pay for additional equipment, additional public safety, including fire and (emergency medical services),” he said. “This type of fee would help offset some of those costs.”
Kevin Krause, Romulus’ director of community safety and development, was previously the city’s director of fire services and emergency management.
Krause described the injection well as a unique site, and how preparing for the unknown is “exceptionally difficult.”
“It pains me to say that we are inadequately prepared for an incident at this site, not only from the Romulus fire department perspective, but also at a regional and county-level,” Krause said. “We are under-resourced, under-trained and under-prepared at this particular location.”
He said SB 247 will give the city the ability to develop pre-plans and to incorporate surrounding departments and regional hazmat teams in the emergency planning. He added that the legislation’s funding component could assist with expanding nearby road infrastructure, giving emergency responders more routes for accessing the location that aren’t “downhill, downwind and downstream” as they are currently.
On the other hand, the bills are being opposed by groups like the Michigan Chemistry Council, the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Waste and Recycling Association.
The groups spotlighted how the legislation prohibits the construction and expansion of Class I and Class IV injection wells, although they are regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
“This legislation threatens to have significant impacts on our communities and the ability to dispose of waste in a safe and effective manner,” the letter reads. “The well construction reports include test results that document the well was properly constructed without defects and demonstrate that the well can be safely operated while meeting all regulations and permit conditions. The public is invited to comment on the permit applications and draft permits, and permits are reviewed every 10 years.”
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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