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U.S. Ecology Detroit South License and Renewal Information

USEDS is required to comply with state and federal hazardous waste regulations for the management of hazardous waste. USEDS also conducts non-hazardous solid waste operations at the site, which are regulated by EGLE under a separate license. Frequent inspections are conducted by EGLE’s hazardous waste and solid waste programs to ensure compliance with these laws. Inspections are also conducted by EGLE’s Air Quality Division.

This US Ecology Site is one of fourteen hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facilities across Michigan. Together, these facilities provide treatment, storage, and disposal options to commercial, industrial, and municipal hazardous waste generators. There are approximately 22,500 hazardous waste generators in the Wayne County area. The Site is one of seven 

operating treatment, storage, or disposal facilities in the Wayne County area. Explore the vicinity map depicting the hazardous waste generators and licensed hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal sites in the greater Wayne County area.

EGLE issues operating licenses for the management of hazardous waste in accordance with state and federal law. If the applicant proposes a site that will meet the requirements of all applicable laws and regulations, EGLE is obligated to issue the license. While EGLE must issue a license to a compliant site, EGLE has some discretion in developing license conditions that add safety measures to protect the community. Where hazardous waste sites coexist with residential communities, EGLE strives to use that discretion to minimize the impact the site will have on the quality of life of the residents in the neighboring communities.

EGLE previously licensed the Site for the management of hazardous wastes in 2003, under the ownership and operational control of US Liquids, Inc. In 2004, EQ purchased the Site from US Liquids, and US Ecology subsequently acquired EQ in 2014. Since 2014, the Site has remained under the operation and ownership control of US Ecology.

US Ecology submitted a hazardous waste operating license renewal application on September 10, 2008, before the expiration date of December 12, 2008, allowing the Site to continue operating under the current license. Since then, EGLE has approved the renewal application for administrative completeness, continued to conduct regular inspections at the Site, and continued to perform the technical review of the application to determine if the proposal meets Michigan’s hazardous waste regulations. On September 29, 2017, EGLE completed an initial technical review of the application and issued a technical Notice of Deficiency to USE-DS. USE-DS has since made multiple revisions to the renewal application to address deficiencies, including submitting a re-written Waste Analysis Plan on September 25, 2020.

Draft operating license

Existing Operating License

Application revisions

US Ecology license renewal application and attachments

Public Involvement

The purpose of public involvement is to ensure that those interested in a proposed EGLE action are aware of the action and have an opportunity to provide input on the action before EGLE reaches a final decision.  The community is encouraged to engage with EGLE throughout the process.  Prior to making a final decision, EGLE will host informational meetings to keep those interested informed, and a public comment period and a formal public hearing to receive formal comments from the community. 

EGLE will evaluate all comments received during the formal public comment period and hearing and issue a formal written response to comments when a final decision on the action is made. This information will be communicated to all persons who submitted comments, those who are on the facility’s official mailing list, and/or those who are subscribed to the action’s GovDelivery list. 

Public participation

EGLE has scheduled a public informational meeting to discuss the license application and draft operating license. 

  • August 13, 2025, Public Informational Meeting at 6:00 PM at the Wayne State University Industry Innovation Center, 461 Burroughs Street, Detroit, Michigan, 6:00 pm. 
  • September 4, 2025, Public Hearing and Informational Meeting at 6:00 PM at TechTown, 440 Burroughs Street, Detroit, Michigan, 6:00 pm. 

Environmental Justice and Limited English Proficiency 

GLE conducts Environmental Justice (EJ) and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) screenings for communities surrounding a hazardous waste facility prior to a license renewal.  The EJ screen helps to identify EJ communities in the vicinity of a hazardous waste facility, and to choose the type and scope of site-specific community engagement activities.  For EJ communities, the MMD considers the need for license conditions to mitigate EJ concerns and ensure that authorized hazardous waste operations will be protective of human health and the environment.  The LEP screen helps EGLE identity the need for oral or written translations in identified language(s) for vital documents and at public meetings.

Contact us

For additional details, please see the electronic copy of the Application below. To review the Application in-person in EGLE’s Lansing District office, please contact Vickie Terry at TerryV2@Michigan.gov or 517-284-6546. To review the Application in-person in EGLE’s Warren District office, please contact Jennifer Block at BlockJ4@Michigan.gov or 586-753-3833. To review the Application in-person at the Main Branch of the Detroit Public Library, please contact the Reference Desk at 313-481-1400.

If you have questions regarding the hazardous waste license or application, please contact Tianna Kilgore at 517‑230‑4395, KilgoreT@Michigan.gov, or EGLE-MMD-HWS@Michigan.gov.

How to stay connected

Complete this form to be placed on the official US Ecology Detroit South facility mailing list to receive updates and notifications from both EGLE and US Ecology Detroit South.

Through your observations and reporting of activities of concern, you play a valuable role in helping the EGLE protect human health and the environment.  To file a complaint or share details about improper waste handling or disposal, contact EGLE through the Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) Hotline at 800-292-4706.