Overview
- Residents in Northville and Salem Townships in western Washtenaw County have long complained about persistent foul odors and reported various health symptoms like headaches, sore throats, and nausea due to emissions from the Arbor Hills Landfill. Complaints peaked in the second half of 2023, with 769 reports filed, up from just 190 in the first half, which coincided with the activation of a new landfill cell. The emissions—mainly methane and hydrogen sulfide—are common byproducts of decomposing waste, and these gases can cause significant respiratory irritation and discomfort. (Source: Conservancy Initiative, 2024).
- Legal reforms and monitoring have tackled the problem, but the odors persist. In 2022, following a lawsuit from the Michigan Attorney General’s office, the Arbor Hills Landfill operator, GFL Environmental, reached a settlement that mandated the implementation of corrective actions such as the installation of perimeter gas monitors and enhanced gas collection systems. These measures were part of an effort to address the environmental violations outlined in the 2020 lawsuit, which focused on air quality concerns. (Source: Michigan.gov AG Press Release, 2022).
- The local community has been highly engaged in addressing the landfill’s issues. Through organizations like The Conservancy Initiative, residents actively report odor complaints through EGLE’s online system, which alerts regulators and operators in real time. They also participate in public forums and town hall meetings to voice their concerns. Despite their efforts, there is a growing demand for greater transparency around emissions data and more frequent, independent health impact studies. (Source: Conservancy Initiative, 2025).
- As Arbor Hills Landfill nears its capacity, GFL has proposed expanding the facility by constructing a new landfill cell on adjacent property. This proposal has sparked significant pushback from the community, particularly due to concerns about increased odor, truck traffic, and the potential environmental impacts, such as PFAS contamination. Residents and advocacy groups are calling for a temporary halt to the expansion until a thorough environmental and health review is conducted. The concerns about PFAS are particularly pressing, as studies have shown that chemicals from landfills can leach into surrounding water sources, posing long-term risks to public health.
- The Arbor Hills Landfill is an essential part of Southeast Michigan’s waste management infrastructure, but its situation highlights the need for comprehensive oversight to ensure that environmental regulations keep pace with operational practices. While GFL is operating within legal parameters, the case demonstrates the importance of ongoing monitoring, transparency, and responsiveness to community concerns. (Source: EGLE Arbor Hills Facility Information; Federal Clean Air Act Overview).
Transcription
David Fair: This is 89.1 WEMU, and on today's Issues of the Environment, we're going to take a look at issues caused by a local landfill. I'm David Fair, and the one I'm referring to is the Arbor Hills Landfill located in the northeast corner of Washtenaw County. Residents of Salem and Northville Townships have long complained about the smell emanating from the waste dump and have called for greater transparency when it comes to air quality and environmental impact data. Arbor Hills is owned by GFL Environmental, which is a Canadian-based company. The landfill is running out of space, and GFL wants to expand operations. As you might imagine, there is some pushback from area residents. Our guest today is looking at the situation from his post in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. Scott Miller is District Supervisor for Air Quality at EGLE. And thank you so much for making time for us today! I appreciate it!
Scott Miller: Thank you very much!
David Fair: Have you personally spent any time around the Arbor Hills landfill or had direct conversations with the residents who live nearby?
Scott Miller: Absolutely! So, we have been actively involved with that landfill for many years. Myself, I have overseen that landfill for almost two decades.
David Fair: Then, you know, by based on current state regulation, compliance has been an issue at times for Arbor Hills and its owners. Where is the landfill now in terms of compliance as we speak today?
Scott Miller: Sure. And so, we have worked with the landfill for a long time. They have had some issues in the past, and they continue to work on some issues. Currently, they are doing quite well. We have been pleased with the operations under GFL. They have instituted a number of management practices that go above and beyond state and federal requirements. And we think that they're doing pretty good over there.
David Fair: However, I still hear from area residents that smell can be an issue at times. When it comes to those odors, how do you work with GFL and Arbor Hills to mitigate the problem?
Scott Miller: Absolutely! So, we continue to receive order complaints from the community, and we have continued to be responsive to those. We are on site at the facility on a regular basis and in communication with them regularly. And so, for Arbor Hills, one of the big things that has changed out there in the last few years is they've implemented a perimeter air monitoring system. And so, they have six stationary monitors, and they have one mobile monitoring station. They monitor for both methane and hydrogen sulfide. And so, that's one of the tools that they've implemented that has kind of helped quite a bit with the timeliness of responding to issues that might arise at the landfill.
David Fair: We're talking with Scott Miller on 89.1 WEMU's Issues of the Environment. He is with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. And when the air does smell bad and the monitors detect that and an action plan has to be put into place, what does that involve? Is it a chemical-based response? How is the odor addressed?
Scott Miller: Yeah. And so, it's important to know that, with the air monitoring system, it's able to pick up methane and hydrogen sulfide, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's picking up every odor that might be associated with the landfill. So, there's other constituents in the odor from the garbage, and they have a composting operation and the perimeter monitoring system may not pick that up. And so, usually what we're dealing with is, when we receive order complaints, the landfill also receives those in near real-time. And they're responding to those. They have requirements to respond to those within like 48 hours. And so, the landfill is quite responsive to those complaints. Oftentimes, we will go out on site and investigate those complaints as well, just depends on where coming from. If it's compost-related, we'll certainly look at the practices at the compost site. They have requirements that they're not allowed to manage that or move those compost piles when the wind direction is going towards the community. And so, we'll evaluate whether or not they're following their management plan.
David Fair: Obviously, we've been talking about practice and policy and addressing the issues as they arise. But if you're living right there, then it's probably a very little comfort when those issues crop up. What do you say to people when they question whether or not enough is being done?
Scott Miller: Yeah. And so, we are, like I said, working with the facility on a regular basis. We're always looking for ways of improving practices. And I know that from being involved with that landfill for so many years, that things have improved quite a bit. It's important for the community to know, and it's difficult to express this, but when you have an active landfill, especially one of this size, unfortunately, that's a practice for how we manage our solid waste still. It presents inherent issues with communities that live close to those. And so, there is always going to be some level of odors associated with the landfill. And the odors are coming from the garbage itself, from the composting operation, even when it's managed properly. And there's also odors associated with like the gas that's produced from the breakdown of the waste. And so, what we tell community members is here's what the facility's required to do, according to state federal laws, here's what their permit says and here's some of the extra measures that they're doing to help control odors.
David Fair: Once again, we're talking about the Arbor Hills Landfill in Northeast Washtenaw County with EGLE's District Supervisor for Air Quality, Scott Miller. Scott, Arbor Hills is expected to run out of space in about five years' time, if I understand it correctly. And while that sounds like a lot of time, it's actually right around the corner. Where is that request in the approval process?
Scott Miller: Any requests that they would have for an expansion of the landfill would go through the county's solid waste planning commission. So, that's kind of outside of EGLE's area of responsibility. Once the county has considered that request and if they approve it, then it would come to EGlE for basically an engineering review of the plan. That decision is with the county.
David Fair: Okay, but when you get the county's submission, do you at all take into consideration community concern?
Scott Miller: Yeah. And so, that's a little outside of my wheelhouse. That's within our materials management division--my understanding at that point that they're looking at it from an engineering site review process.
David Fair: As the state looks at the request, can your department put contingencies on any expansion approval?
Scott Miller: Again, that's kind of outside of my area of expertise. I'd have to consult with our materials management division.
David Fair: There's an abundance of landfill space in Michigan, and our tipping fees are low enough that it makes it very attractive to a lot of other states and to Canada. Might the state consider redirecting waste to other locations rather than expansion in Salem Township, or do you simply have to wait out the county's request?
Scott Miller: So, again, I have to say that that's out of my area of expertise. I'm with Air Quality Division. That's probably a question more appropriate for Materials Management Division.
David Fair: All right. Well, let's return to air quality for a moment. One of the other complaints that community members have put forth is they feel as though there's been a lack of transparency when it comes to the monitoring of air quality. Are you satisfied with the level of transparency that GFL has put forth and that you, in turn, report to the community?
Scott Miller: Yeah. And so, as I mentioned earlier, there are six stationary monitors and one mobile monitoring station. Those all report data in real time, and so, that data is near live, and it's public data that's posted and available to the public. There's also another monitoring station that has been installed since 2019 at the hydrogen sulfide station located at Ridgewood Elementary, right within the community. And so, interestingly enough, that site has had no detections of hydrogen sulfide since it's been there. And so, I think the community have access to information. In the case of Arbor Hills, they're the only landfill in the state currently that has an ambient air monitoring system set up like that. There's also other information that's being collected that's available for public review. The landfill collects surface emission methane data on a regular basis. They actually go above and beyond the standards, and they're collecting it both through traditional on-the-ground--boots-on-the ground--methods. But they also have used a drone survey method. And that information's also available. I myself have participated in numerous public outreach events and community engagement events. And we're always willing to share the information we have and answer any questions from the public.
David Fair: Well, Scott, I appreciate you taking the time out and joining me for the conversation today!
Scott Miller: Well, thank you very much!
David Fair: That is Scott Miller, talking about the Arbor Hills Landfill in northeast Washtenaw County. Issues of the Environment is produced with support from the office of the Washtennaw County Water Resources Commissioner, and you hear it every Wednesday. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU-FM Ypsilanti. Celebrating sixty years of broadcasting from the campus of Eastern Michigan University!
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