January 24, 2005

The Department of Environmental Quality has announced the denial of a permit application from Michigan Waste Services, a medical waste incinerator located in Hamtramck. The application would have allowed the facility to convert its existing medical waste incinerator to a co-fired combustor incinerator at the location.

The DEQ noted in a denial letter to the company that their failure to demonstrate a commitment to comply with the conditions in the draft permit, as well as their continued failure to comply with a current permit and consent order for the existing incinerator, led to the decision to deny their application. Specifically, the DEQ noted MWS failure to implement a mercury waste reduction plan, failure to perform required preventative maintenance activities, and failure to complete maintenance records.

“Michigan Waste Services history of operating far outside the boundaries of environmental regulations played a large role in the decision to deny this permit application,” said G. Vinson Hellwig, Chief of the DEQ’s Air Quality Division and decision maker on the permit application. “Their continued violations are unacceptable to the community, and are unfair to the many businesses in Michigan that take pride in their environmental efforts.”

In addition to the denial of MWS new permit application, the DEQ announced that it has begun the process to revoke the company’s current operating permit for the existing medical waste incinerator. This process will require additional hearings, including a public hearing and comment period which will be detailed in the coming weeks. In the interim, while the revocation process takes place, the company has a right to continue operations at the facility pending the outcome of the legal process.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised January 24, 2005 by Pat Watson