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U.S. Ecology Detroit South also known as EQ Detroit, Inc. License and Renewal Information

Regulatory oversight of the US Ecology Detroit South (USE-DS) site located at 1923 Frederick Street, in Detroit, Michigan (Site) is conducted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Great Lakes Water Authority. USE-DS is required to comply with state and federal hazardous waste regulations for the management of hazardous waste. USE-DS 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. Extensive monitoring of U.S. Ecology’s discharge to the sewer system is conducted by the Great Lakes Water Authority.

This U.S. 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, The Environmental Quality Company (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.

The license renewal application is available electronically below. The renewal application documents under review can also be made available by appointment for review at:

 

EGLE, Lansing Headquarters

525 West Allegan Street, Lansing, Michigan;
Contact: Ms. Vickie Terry
517-284-6546

EGLE, Warren District Office

27700 Donald Court, Warren, Michigan
Contact: Ms. Jennifer Block
586-753-3833

If you have questions regarding the hazardous waste license or application, please contact Mr. Jacob Runge at 517-242-8496, RungeJ@michigan.gov or EGLE, MMD, P.O. Box 30241, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7741.

U.S. Ecology License Renewal Application and Attachments

Stay Connected

Subscribe to the mailing list to receive updates from EGLE related to site specific activities. You are the eyes and ears of your community. 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.