Great Lakes/Out-of-State Trash

LANSING – In response to an outrageous lawsuit against the state of Michigan filed by two Canadian trash haulers, State Representatives Marc Corriveau (D-Northville), Kate Ebli (D-Monroe), and John Espinoza (D-Croswell) are calling on Attorney General Mike Cox to conduct a thorough investigation of damages caused by Canadian and out-of-state trash haulers and to file a counter-suit against these two Canadian garbage importers.
    "It's the height of hypocrisy that two Canadian trash trucks involved in a highway crash would accuse the state of Michigan and three local governments for being responsible for this spill," Corriveau said. "Canadian and out-of-state trash companies are the ones who exploit our state by invading our roadways on their way to dump sludge in our landfills. These trash trucks have been caught smuggling radioactive medical waste, illegal drugs and biomedical human waste. The Attorney General should immediately investigate and counter-sue these Canadian trash haulers for damages to Michigan communities and our land, air and water."
    On Jan. 9, trash trucks from Kranbir Transport Inc. and Ontario Inc. were involved in crashes on I-69. The companies recently filed suit in Ingham County Circuit Court seeking damages of more than $250,000, according to the Times Herald of Port Huron . The lawsuit claims that the trucks slid and flipped over due to an "an unnatural accumulation of ice and snow on the road," and that the state Department of Transportation, the St. Clair County Road Commission, Wales Township and the Village of Emmett did not maintain I-69 "for safe responsible travel."
    "We are not going to be intimidated by frivolous lawsuits filed by the waste industry," Ebli said. "Not only should Michigan take Canadian trash haulers to court, we should hit them in the pocketbook where it hurts by raising the state's dumping charge. Canadian and out-of-state trash trucks come to Michigan because it is cheap to dump here. We must slam the brakes on the trash industry's free ride by increasing the dumping charge and banning expansion of our landfills. The fight against Canadian and out-of-state trash is a fight to strengthen the safety and security of our communities."
    Espinoza pointed out that it is well documented that the drivers of the Canadian trash trucks – not the state of the highway – caused the Jan. 9 crashes. Both drivers were cited by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department for driving too fast for road conditions. One was also cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and keeping an improper logbook, the Times Herald reported.
    "It is outrageous that these Canadian companies haul their trash into our country, break our laws and then try to blame their problems on us," said Espinoza, whose district includes the Blue Water Bridge, which carries hundreds of trash trucks from Canada each day. "After making millions of dollars by dumping trash in our communities, they have the gall to demand even more money from Michigan taxpayers. These greedy corporations couldn't care less about the damage they're doing to our natural resources, our roads and our residents' safety. The lawsuit is evidence of this. It's time to turn the tables and hit them in their pocketbooks. Michigan residents have paid enough."