Michigan’s Low Trash Fees Attract Out-of-State Waste

LANSING, MI (WOWO) Residents in Southeast Michigan are voicing concerns that the state’s low landfill tipping fees are attracting trash from other states and Canada, according to WXYZ Detroit. Michigan’s base fee is just 36 cents per ton, one of the lowest in the nation, prompting some landfills to propose expansions to accept more waste.

At Pine Tree Acres Landfill in Lenox Township, trucks are arriving steadily, and Waste Management has requested a 25 percent, 236-acre expansion to handle additional trash. Community members say the volume of waste is overwhelming and may have environmental consequences.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has publicly criticized the low fees, stating the state should not be a dumping ground for other regions. State legislators, including Sen. Darrin Camilleri, have proposed bills to raise tipping fees and direct revenue to support local communities, but legislation has stalled.

Other officials, like Sen. Joe Bellino, emphasize that increasing fees should be paired with stronger recycling efforts. Data shows that tipping fees in neighboring states are higher, ranging from 60 cents per ton in Indiana to $13 per ton in Wisconsin, with a Midwest average of $5.32.

The Michigan Waste & Recycling Association cautions that raising fees could increase costs for residents, businesses, and local government services. Residents, however, continue to call for reforms to prevent the state from becoming a long-term dumping site.

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