Solid Waste

::  Each county in Michigan is mandated to have a solid waste management plan, which estimates the amount of waste that will be generated and the plan for disposal over a ten-year period. A majority of the solid waste is dumped in landfills or burned in incinerators, although a growing number of communities have initiated recycling and composing programs. In 1995, a state law was passed prohibiting communities from disposing of yard waste in the traditional methods of landfills and incinerators. For example, cities are now required to encourage residential composing or provide yard waste pick-up for the city to compost.

::  The city of Detroit has been temporarily exempt from this legislation due to the size of the city, and the complexity of implementing the program on such a large scale. This ban has a significant impact on the volume of waste dumped in the county. This is an important step considering the shrinking availability of dumpsites. The increasing cost of land and stiffer regulations for landfills and incinerators has made garbage disposal increasingly expensive and complicated. In 1992 there were sixteen landfills and three incinerators in the region, although now there are only twelve landfills and two incinerators.

::  In Wayne County there are currently four landfills and two incinerators accepting municipal solid waste.

Landfills:

• Sauk Trail Hills, Canton Township
• Woodland Meadows, Canton Township
• City Sand & Carlton Farms, Sumpter Township
• Riverview Land Preserve, Riverview

Incinerators:

• Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Authority, Detroit
• Central Wayne Sanitation Authority, Dearborn Heights

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