On the Issues
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CANADIAN WASTE Canada continues to be the largest source of waste imports to Michigan, contributing 19 percent of all waste disposed in Michigan in fiscal year 2008. Each day, hundreds of trash trucks from Toronto and other municipalities in Canada cross the border into Michigan. Since the first truckload of Canadian waste crossed over into Michigan, Senator Levin has introduced or cosponsored 10 separate bills to address the problem of Canadian trash. Six of the ten bills passed the full Senate, but the House of Representatives failed to act on them. These legislative actions placed a tremendous amount of pressure on the Canadians to manage the trash problem in an effective and fair manner. This allowed Senator Levin to play an integral role in developing an agreement with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to stop shipments of Ontario’s municipally-managed waste by 2010. Under this agreement, 20 percent of Ontario’s municipally-managed waste was to be reduced by the end of 2007, 40 percent by the end of 2008, and 100 percent of the municipally-managed trash shipped from Ontario would be eliminated by 2010. This agreement represents the first and only successful commitment to reduce Canadian garbage being shipped into Michigan. Canadian officials are taking action to comply with this agreement, and from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2008, Canadian waste shipments have declined by 1.4 million cubic yards, or about 12 percent. Senator Levin is continuing to monitor progress. Related Columns: Related Reports: |
LEGISLATION
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