The annual Report of Solid Waste Landfilled in Michigan was released today by the Department of Environmental Quality and shows that imported trash now makes up over 30 percent of the waste being disposed of in Michigan's landfills. The Fiscal Year 2008 report documents that landfills disposed of 57,119,896 cubic yards of solid waste in FY 2008, and while waste disposed of by Michigan residents decreased by 1,033,688 cubic yards, about 3 percent, to 39,913,636 cubic yards, waste imported from other states and Canada still increased slightly by 51,422 cubic yards, less than 1 percent, to 17,206,260 cubic yards.

Although trash coming from Canada decreased slightly in FY 2008, the country remains the largest source of waste imports into Michigan, equaling about 19 percent of all waste disposed of in Michigan landfills.

"The data suggests that Michigan is disposing of less waste, but it does not tell us why that is occurring," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. "At the same time, imported trash continues to utilize more and more of our landfill space and that must change."

The specific amounts of waste generated by the various jurisdictions are:

WASTE GENERATION ORIGIN     WASTE VOLUME (CUBIC YARDS)
                                                          FY 2007               FY2008
CANADA                                          10,982,984           10,722,164
CONNECTICUT                                       40,536                  41,710
FLORIDA                                                11,820                  15,410
ILLINOIS                                               817,665                859,072
INDIANA                                            1,810,564              1,405,435
MAINE                                                        720                          0
MARYLAND                                            37,540                  56,474
MASSACHUSETTS                                 38,190                  33,310
MICHIGAN                                        41,049,672            39,913,636
NEW HAMPSHIRE                                    2,180                          0
NEW JERSEY                                    1,671,971              2,143,855
NEW YORK                                          187,858                 137,728
OHIO                                                 1,009,431               1,323,790
PENNSYLVANIA                                     30,832                   57,901
RHODE ISLAND                                      77,456                   56,370
WEST VIRGINIA                                              0                           5
WISCONSIN                                          435,091                 353,036

Michigan does not currently require comprehensive reporting of the amounts of waste generated, only the amounts of waste disposed of in landfills, making it difficult to determine the reason for the decline of waste disposed in landfills coming from Michigan sources. To assist in establishing a comprehensive measurement system and to aid in the implementation of the Michigan Solid Waste Policy, the DEQ has formed the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, a group made up of representatives from local governments, the environmental community, and the solid waste and recycling industries to also assist the DEQ in ongoing solid waste issues. A SWAC subcommittee is evaluating how to best achieve the policy goal to utilize all solid waste streams and, as a step toward that objective, achieving the goal of utilizing 50 percent of Michigan's municipal solid waste stream by 2015.

Based on the capacity used during FY 2008, the reduction of waste disposed, and additional permitted landfill capacity, it is estimated that Michigan landfills have approximately 21 years of remaining disposal capacity.

The data released today appears in the 13th annual report prepared by the DEQ. Submittal of this information to the DEQ is required of all Michigan landfills.

To receive a copy of the Annual Report, please contact the DEQ, Waste and Hazardous Materials Division, Storage Tank and Solid Waste Section, P.O. Box 30241, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7741, at (517) 241-2924; or download the annual report from the DEQ Web site at http://www.michigan.gov/deq (Click on "Waste," "Solid Waste," and under "Information," click on "Annual Reports of Solid Waste Landfilled," and then on the link for the fiscal year report desired).

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

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised January 30, 2009 by Pat Watson