Executive Summary / Fact Sheet

  • Facility Name & Location: Clean Earth Environmental Solutions – Detroit (Formerly Petro‐Chem Processing Group of Nortru, LLC), located at 421 Lycaste Street, Detroit, MI 48214michigan.gov. This facility sits in an east-side industrial corridor near the Detroit River, directly adjacent to Aevitas Specialty Services Corp. (a used oil recycler at 663 Lycaste)aevitasdetroit.com.
  • Operations: Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) licensed since 1999 for managing ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and toxic wastesmichigan.govmichigan.gov. The site performs fuel blending of hazardous waste into alternative fuel, bulk storage/transfer of solvents and industrial wastes, and limited hazardous pharmaceutical waste storagemichigan.gov. It spans ~8.5 acres with multiple container storage areas, treatment tanks, loading/unloading bays, and emission control systems (e.g. a regenerative thermal oxidizer)michigan.gov.
  • Ownership: Clean Earth, Inc., a division of Harsco Corporation (rebranded Enviri in 2023) acquired this facility in 2020 from Stericycle, Inc.egle.state.mi.us. Former operators include PSC Environmental Services (prior parent company) and Stericycle Environmental Solutions – which was merged into Clean Earth under Harscoegle.state.mi.usenviro.epa.gov. This global ownership means the Detroit site is one of dozens in a nationwide network (Clean Earth operates ~88 waste management facilities across the U.S. under Harsco)cleanearthinc.com.
  • Regulatory Status: Clean Earth Detroit holds a Michigan hazardous waste operating license under RCRA (Part 111) and a Title V Renewable Operating Permit for air emissions (MI-ROP-N0731-2009). It is regulated by U.S. EPA Region 5 and Michigan EGLE. The facility is a “synthetic minor” air emission source (opt-out) with specific controls to limit hazardous air pollutants.
  • Key Flags: Global Ownership, Tier 1 Proximity to Aevitas, Federal Enforcement History. The immediate proximity to another hazardous waste facility (Aevitas) raises combined risk (“Tier 1” proximity). The facility has a notable history of violations and federal enforcement, detailed below.
  • Environmental Justice Context: The surrounding community is predominantly Black (~80% African American in ZIP code 48214unitedstateszipcodes.org) with low income levels (median household ~$34,800, far below the state/county medianincomebyzipcode.com). Residents already face disproportionate pollution burdens – Detroit’s asthma hospitalization rate (31 per 10,000 for Black residents) is several times higher than Michigan’s averagebridgedetroit.com. Cumulative impact is a major concern as 6 of Michigan’s 8 commercial hazardous waste facilities are concentrated in Wayne County (Detroit), affecting communities of colorplanetdetroit.org. Neighborhood groups and city officials have increasingly voiced concerns about odors, air quality, and health risks from facilities like Clean Earth and its neighbors in recent yearsoutliermedia.orgclickondetroit.com. An overview of each aspect is provided in the sections below, with full source documentation for community and policy reference.

Figure: Map of the Clean Earth (Petro Chem) facility at 421 Lycaste St (outlined in blue) and its layout of tanks, warehouses, and treatment units on an ~8.5-acre sitemichigan.gov. The facility is bordered by Lycaste St. to the east and St. Jean Ave. to the west; Aevitas Specialty Services (oil recycling plant) lies immediately north on Lycaste. Hazardous waste is stored in drums/containers (in ten designated areas) and in four bulk tanks on-site, with truck loading/unloading bays equipped with vapor controlsmichigan.govegle.state.mi.us.

1. Facility Snapshot: Operations & Location

Clean Earth – Detroit (formerly Petro-Chem Processing Group of Nortru, LLC) is a licensed hazardous waste treatment and storage facility situated at 421 Lycaste Street, Detroit, MI 48214michigan.gov. The site is in Detroit’s lower eastside, in an industrial zone near the Detroit River and the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood. Notably, it sits on the same block as Aevitas Specialty Services Corp., a used oil processing and wastewater treatment plant at 663 Lycaste St.aevitasdetroit.com. (Clean Earth and Aevitas are immediate neighbors, sharing an industrial campus – a situation warranting the “Tier 1 Proximity” flag due to potential combined impacts.)

Operations & Waste Streams: Clean Earth’s Detroit facility is a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF)permitted to handle a broad range of hazardous wastes. Under its Michigan hazardous waste license and RCRA Part B permit, the facility can store and treat ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and toxic wastes (D001-D043), as well as various listed wastesmichigan.gov. Key operations include:

  • Container Storage & Consolidation: The site can aggregate and commingle hazardous wastes in containers (drums, totes) across ten storage areasmichigan.gov. Wastes like paints, solvents, contaminated soils, and sludges are received from off-site generators and safely packaged or consolidated for treatment or transport.
  • Bulk Storage & Treatment in Tanks: Four large on-site tanks are permitted for storing and processing liquid hazardous wastemichigan.gov. For example, waste solvents and oils may be treated (e.g. pH neutralization or phase separation) before final disposal. The facility also operates hazardous waste fuel blending, whereby high-BTU wastes (e.g. paint thinner, petrochemical byproducts) are blended to create an alternative fuel for energy recoverymichigan.gov.
  • Loading/Unloading & Emission Controls: Several loading racks are used for transferring wastes between trucks and tanksmichigan.gov. Per its permits, vapor emission controls must be in place during transfers – including a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) and acid gas scrubber system to destroy volatile organic compounds, plus vapor balance (back-venting) systems on tanker trucksegle.state.mi.us. These controls are crucial given the volatile hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the wastes (e.g. benzene, toluene). The Title V Renewable Operating Permit explicitly requires all hatches and vents to be closed vapor-tight during transfers and for the RTO or equivalent system to be operating whenever waste is being loaded/unloaded.
  • On-Site Laboratory and Compliance Monitoring: The facility maintains an analytical lab to characterize incoming wastes and ensure compatibility with storage and blending processes. Continuous environmental monitoring is required: the site’s license mandates groundwater monitoring wells and ambient air monitoringaround the facility perimeteregle.state.mi.us. These measures help detect any releases – any confirmed release triggers a “corrective action” cleanup requirement under RCRAmichigan.gov.

Physical Layout: The Clean Earth/PetroChem site covers approximately 8.53 acresmichigan.gov between Lycaste and St. Jean Streets, just north of Freud Street. It includes warehouse buildings for container storage, open tank farm areas, a truck scale, and offices (which historically were labeled “Stericycle Office” on site plans). An EGLE site plan (see Figure above) shows that the site is relatively compact, bordered by other industrial parcels. Aevitas (oil recycler) lies immediately to the north – essentially next-door – making this location a cluster of waste processing operations. Given this proximity, any incidents (fires, explosions, etc.) at one facility could potentially impact the other, and combined emissions from both contribute to the local air shed. This co-location is a focal point for community and regulatory scrutiny.

Proximity to Sensitive Receptors: While the immediate vicinity is industrial, residential areas are not far. The nearest homes are roughly ~0.5 miles west and south in neighborhoods like Jefferson-Chalmers and the Villages. A charter school and several parks lie within a mile radius. The Detroit River is about 0.3 miles to the south. This setting underscores the importance of strict containment of wastes and emissions on-site.

In summary, Clean Earth’s Detroit facility is a major hazardous waste hub on the city’s east side, handling large volumes of dangerous materials. Its operations, if not meticulously managed, have the potential to affect the surrounding community’s air, soil, and water. The next sections detail the facility’s compliance history and how its corporate ownership ties into a larger context of environmental performance.

2. Violation and Incident History

Clean Earth’s Detroit facility (under its various names) has a long history of regulatory oversight, violations, and enforcement actions at both state and federal levels. Below is an overview of known violations and incidents:

  • EPA Enforcement – Clean Air Act (CAA): Following a March 2018 inspection, EPA Region 5 issued a Finding of Violation (FOV) on June 18, 2018 for multiple air pollution violationsegle.state.mi.us. The FOV cited failures to comply with the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Off-Site Waste and Recovery Operations (40 CFR 63 Subpart DD) and Benzene Waste Operations (40 CFR 61 Subpart FF)egle.state.mi.us. In particular, the facility was found to have: (a) Improperly operated vapor controls – e.g. open or leaking pressure relief valves, tank hatches, and sampling ports that should have been sealedegle.state.mi.us; (b) Inadequate monitoring and calibration – the VOC analyzers and leak detection procedures (Method 21) were not correctly performed or calibrated, undermining leak detection effortsegle.state.mi.us; (c) Vapor-tightness issues – the facility failed to maintain “vapor-tight” seals on tanker trucks during loading, allowing fugitive emissions of volatile HAPsegle.state.mi.us. These are serious violations as they indicate uncontrolled release of toxic chemicals (like benzene, a known carcinogen) into the air.
    To resolve these violations, EPA and the facility entered into a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) in 2023 (EPA Docket No. CAA-05-2023-0044). In this federal enforcement action, Petro-Chem (Clean Earth) agreed to pay a civil penalty and take corrective actions under the Clean Air Act’s Section 113(d). The CAFO (finalized in 2023) formally cites the facility for violating Subparts DD and FF requirements and Title V permit conditionsegle.state.mi.us. (Subpart DD regulates air emissions from waste management units – requiring, for example, covers on tanks and control of volatilized organics – and Subpart FF specifically targets benzene emission controls in waste operations.) By settling, Clean Earth neither admitted nor denied the factual allegations but consented to pay a penalty and comply with a compliance order. This recent federal CAFO is a clear marker of the facility’s “Federal Enforcement History” flag. (Notably, this is not the first EPA action: the facility had an earlier federal Consent Order in 2002 (CAA-05-2002-0020) related to air violations, which remained in effect until 2009egle.state.mi.us.)
  • State of Michigan Violation Notices (Air): Michigan EGLE’s Air Quality Division has conducted regular inspections. Significant non-compliance was found in 2018, during a Full Compliance Evaluation on September 14, 2018egle.state.mi.us. The state inspectors documented multiple permit violations, leading EGLE to issue a formal Violation Notice (VN) on June 11, 2019egle.state.mi.us. The cited issues included: failure to maintain required records (likely of emissions or operational parameters), and failure to perform negative pressure tests on equipment (a test to ensure no leaks)egle.state.mi.us. The company responded with corrective measures, and EGLE later marked these particular violations as resolved. Prior to that, earlier Violation Notices were issued on October 22, 2015 and October 14, 2016 for other air permit violations (reflecting ongoing compliance struggles). These recurring VNs indicate a pattern where the facility has at times fallen short in following its permit mandates, requiring state intervention.
  • Ambient Air Monitoring Alerts: As a condition of its RCRA license, the facility operates ambient air monitorsaround its perimeter to detect volatile organic compoundsegle.state.mi.us. According to EGLE, these monitors have shown periodic spikes of toxic compounds in the air near the siteegle.state.mi.us. Substances detected include trichloroethylene (TCE), xylene, toluene, and methylene chlorideegle.state.mi.us – all hazardous air pollutants. Such spikes suggest fugitive emissions are occasionally escaping into the neighborhood air. EGLE’s Materials Management Division noted this issue is “ongoing” and under evaluation as of 2020egle.state.mi.us. While brief, such episodes can contribute to long-term health risks (TCE, for instance, is a carcinogen and can cause neurological effects). The facility’s requirement to investigate and fix the causes of these spikes is part of heightened oversight in recent years.
  • Spills or Emergency Incidents: In contrast to its neighbor Aevitas (which experienced a massive fire in June 2025 that burned for hours and sent up thick smoke), Clean Earth’s Detroit site has no publicly documented catastrophic incidents of that scale. However, historical operations were not without environmental impact (see below on legacy contamination). Minor spills and cleanup events have likely occurred (as is common at TSDFs), but available records do not indicate any large chemical release or fire on record at 421 Lycaste. The facility’s contingency plans and drills (required by RCRA) are in place to respond to emergencies, and to date the major known fire/explosion events on Lycaste Street have originated from Aevitas. Still, the 2025 Aevitas fire served as a wake-up call to the community about the potential for disaster given the flammable, hazardous materials handled at these adjacent sites. Both facilities had prior odor complaints and violations, meaning vigilance is needed to prevent accidentsyoutube.com.
  • Hazardous Waste (RCRA) Violations: Apart from air issues, the facility’s owners have faced hazardous waste handling violations on a broader scale. Notably, Stericycle’s Environmental Solutions unit (the former owner)was found to have systemic RCRA violations nationwide from 2014–2020, including at its Detroit operations. In a landmark DOJ/EPA settlement announced January 2025, Stericycle (by then out of the business) agreed to pay a $9.5 million penalty for widespread failures in hazardous waste managementepa.govepa.gov. These included improper manifesting and tracking of waste shipments, storing wastes longer than allowed at transfer facilities, and related lapsesepa.govepa.gov. While this case aggregated violations across many sites, it underscores issues that likely touched Detroit as well (e.g. missing paperwork or extended storage of drums). On a local level, Michigan EGLE’s inspections of the Lycaste facility’s hazardous waste unit (Materials Management Division) have occasionally noted concerns such as container labeling, secondary containment, etc., though no major state hazardous waste fines are documented. One related data point: the site was on EPA’s “RCRA Watch List” in the early 2010secho.epa.gov, a list for facilities with significant non-compliance, indicating historical RCRA compliance problems that drew federal attention.

In summary, the violation history shows a facility that has repeatedly struggled with compliance – particularly air emissions controls – but has been brought into enforceable agreements to correct those issues. The recent EPA CAFO (2023) is a strong enforcement action addressing those chronic problems, and it should result in improved emission control if fully implemented. Nevertheless, the community and regulators remain watchful, as the facility’s track record necessitates ongoing scrutiny.

3. Corporate Ownership and Global Context

The facility at 421 Lycaste has operated under several corporate entities, reflecting a sequence of acquisitions in the waste management industry. Understanding this ownership history provides insight into corporate resources, policies, and any related controversies:

  • Nortru, LLC / Petro-Chem Processing (Local Origins): The Detroit site was long known as Petro-Chem Processing Group of Nortru, LLC, a company specializing in industrial waste treatment. “Nortru” was the local entity name, and “Petro-Chem Processing” its operating trade name. Petro-Chem’s operations date back several decades; EGLE first licensed it under current hazardous waste regulations in 1999michigan.gov. During the 1990s–2000s, Petro-Chem/Nortru was a key regional player in fuel blending and waste recovery. In fact, it was once noted as one of the largest liquid hazardous waste fuel blending facilities in the U.S., with capacity over 1.1 million gallons and ~6,600 drumsextapps.dec.ny.gov.
  • PSC Environmental Services (Acquisition circa 2008–2014): At some point, Nortru became affiliated with PSC Environmental Services (PSC stands for Philip Services Corp., a large waste firm). EPA records from the 2010s list PSC Environmental Services, LLC as the parent company of Petro-Chemenviro.epa.gov. PSC was a national hazardous waste management company that itself underwent mergers. It appears PSC integrated the Nortru facility into its portfolio, bringing it under a larger corporate structure with many TSDFs across the country.
  • Stericycle Environmental Solutions (2014–2020): In 2014, Stericycle, Inc., a major medical waste disposal corporation, acquired PSC’s Environmental Solutions business. This rolled the Detroit facility into Stericycle’s hazardous waste division, known as Stericycle Environmental Solutions (SES or ESOL)wastedive.com. Stericycle thus became the indirect owner of Petro-Chem/Nortru. Under Stericycle, the facility continued operations, and correspondence or permits from that era often refer to “Stericycle” as the operator. For example, Michigan’s 2018 inspection refers to the site under Stericycle’s nameegle.state.mi.us. Importantly, Stericycle’s tenure included some high-profile environmental issues:
    • Stericycle Incinerator Controversy: Stericycle gained notoriety for a medical waste incinerator in North Salt Lake, Utah that violated emissions limits (for dioxins, NOx, etc.). In 2014, Stericycle paid a record $2.3 million fine and agreed to shut that Utah plant after intense community uproarsltrib.com. This was a major ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) controversy, revealing Stericycle’s environmental compliance challenges. It’s relevant context showing that the corporate parent had struggled to comply with air regulations elsewhere as well.
    • RCRA Compliance Issues: As noted earlier, Stericycle’s Environmental Solutions unit was cited for nationwide RCRA manifest and waste handling violations, resulting in the 2025 DOJ/EPA settlementepa.gov. These systemic issues (e.g. lost hazardous waste in transit, improper storage) reflect poorly on the governance and compliance culture of Stericycle’s hazardous waste division during the mid-2010sepa.govepa.gov. Detroit’s facility, being part of that division, was likely affected by those corporate practices (indeed, some of the manifest mismanagement cited by EPA may have involved Detroit shipments).
  • Transition to Clean Earth (Harsco) in 2020: In mid-2020, Harsco Corporation – a global industrial services company – acquired Stericycle’s Environmental Solutions business for $462.5 millionwastedive.com. Harsco had just a year prior (2019) acquired another waste company, Clean Earth, and folded the Stericycle assets into it. Thus, as of May 2020, the Detroit facility was purchased by Clean Earth, Inc., a Harsco subsidiaryegle.state.mi.us. The facility was officially rebranded from “Stericycle Environmental Solutions” to “Clean Earth Environmental Solutions” at that timeegle.state.mi.us. Many of the same staff and operations continued, but under new corporate oversight. Harsco’s strategy was to build a “single-thesis environmental solutions platform,” making Clean Earth one of the largest U.S. hazardous waste management networkscleanearthinc.com. Indeed, post-merger Clean Earth operates 88 locations including treatment plants and transfer stations nationwidecleanearthinc.com. This provides economies of scale and technical resources that a smaller operator might lack.
  • Harsco and Enviri: Harsco Corporation itself, founded in 1853, historically focused on steel mill services (Harsco Environmental) and rail equipment. With the Clean Earth acquisition, Harsco signaled a transformation toward environmental services, which by 2022 constituted over 85% of its revenuecleanearthinc.com. In mid-2023, Harsco further rebranded the entire company as Enviri Corporation, emphasizing its environmental mission. Clean Earth remains a subsidiary (now under the Enviri name). This global corporate parent brings significant capital and, ostensibly, stricter environmental, health and safety (EHS) programs. However, integration pains can occur – e.g., aligning Stericycle’s procedures with Clean Earth’s.
  • Corporate ESG Track Record: The corporate parents have had a mixed environmental track record:
    • Stericycle: Beyond the Utah incinerator issue, Stericycle faced community distrust in various locales (e.g. a controversial medical waste facility in Illinois, and allegations in Mexico involving illegal waste disposal). It is noteworthy that Stericycle agreed in 2022 to undergo an independent environmental justice/civil rights audit of its operations, in the wake of concerns about disproportionate impacts on communities of colorwastedive.com. This indicates recognition at the corporate level of historical shortcomings in community engagement and impact.
    • Clean Earth (Harsco/Enviri): Clean Earth prides itself on waste recycling and “beneficial reuse” of materials, highlighting sustainability in marketing. Nonetheless, it too has seen compliance issues. For instance, in 2022 Clean Earth was fined ~$37,000 by Washington State for improperly handling a leaking container of hazardous waste – the drum was left to spill corrosive acid near a public area and transported while leakingwastetodaymagazine.comwastetodaymagazine.com. The incident, while relatively minor, underscores that even under Clean Earth, lapses in procedure can occur. Harsco itself is new to the hazardous waste sector, so its long-term ESG performance in this realm is still forming.

In context, the Detroit facility is now part of a multinational corporate structure (flag: “Global Ownership”) that has both the resources to improve operations and a legacy of past environmental violations to overcome. Community advocates often point out that corporate owners like Clean Earth/Harsco should be held to high standards given their size and expertise. The company’s corporate sustainability reports tout commitments to safety and compliance, and the Detroit site will be a test of those commitments in practice.

On a global context note, Clean Earth’s presence in Detroit ties local environmental justice issues to broader patterns. Many communities across the U.S. with Clean Earth (or formerly Stericycle) facilities have raised similar concerns (odors in Tacoma, NJ soil processing complaints, etc.), suggesting a need for consistent corporate oversight. Clean Earth’s parent Enviri is publicly traded, meaning public and investor pressure (via ESG ratings, shareholder inquiries) can influence its management of sites like Detroit. Any major missteps here could have reputational and financial consequences for the corporation, providing additional incentive to improve environmental performance moving forward.

4. Environmental and Community Impact

The Clean Earth facility sits in a community that faces significant environmental justice challenges. This section outlines the demographic context, health risks, cumulative pollution burden, and community responses:

Demographics and EJ Profile: The area around 421 Lycaste is predominantly a community of color with low income levels. According to Census data, over 80% of residents in ZIP code 48214 are Black or African-Americanunitedstateszipcodes.org, while white residents comprise under 15%. Median household income in 48214 is only about $34,800, which is well below the Wayne County median ($59k) and even the Detroit city median ($39k)incomebyzipcode.com. A large proportion of households live below the poverty line, and many are renters. These indicators qualify the neighborhood as an Environmental Justice (EJ) community, meaning it may be more vulnerable to and disproportionately impacted by pollution. Indeed, a statewide analysis found that 65% of people living within 3 miles of Michigan’s commercial hazardous waste facilities are people of color, versus ~25% people of color in the state populationplanetdetroit.org. The vicinity of Clean Earth exemplifies this disparity. Residents often lack the resources for robust healthcare or relocation, meaning they are “captive” to local environmental conditions.

Health Status: Public health data for Detroit consistently show elevated rates of environmentally linked illnesses, especially in majority-Black neighborhoods. Asthma is a prime concern: from 2017–2019, 16.2% of Detroit adults had asthma, a rate ~46% higher than Michigan’s overall averageplanetdetroit.org. More starkly, in 2019 the asthma hospitalization rate for Black Detroiters was 31 per 10,000, compared to 7.9 per 10,000 for white Detroitersbridgedetroit.com. This suggests a heavy cumulative burden of air pollutants and allergens in Black communities. The eastside, including 48214, contributes to these statistics – local clinics and hospitals report high asthma ER visit numbers. Pollution from facilities like Clean Earth (volatile organic compounds, particulate matter from truck traffic) can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory/cardiovascular conditions. Cancer risk from air toxics is another worry: the EPA’s NATA (National Air Toxics Assessment) has historically shown census tracts in Detroit with some of the highest estimated lifetime cancer risks in Michigan due to airborne toxics (benzene, formaldehyde, etc., which facilities of this type may emit). While specific data for 48214 isn’t quoted here, the presence of multiple industrial sources implies elevated risk levels.

Cumulative Pollution Burden: The Clean Earth site is not an isolated pollution source; it’s part of a cluster of heavy industrial facilities on Detroit’s east side. Within a 1-2 mile radius are a sewage treatment plant, a large scrap metal processor, paint and chemical manufacturers, a former incinerator site, and another major hazardous waste facility (US Ecology North) a few miles north. Wayne County hosts 6 of Michigan’s 8 commercial hazardous waste TSDFsplanetdetroit.org, mostly in or near Detroit. This concentration means residents are exposed to multiple pollution streams – from truck diesel emissions, to odors, to accidental releases – compounding their impacts. The state of Michigan now acknowledges this cumulative impact: after a civil rights complaint by local activists, EGLE agreed in 2024 to start considering cumulative impacts in permitting decisions for hazardous waste facilitiesplanetdetroit.orgplanetdetroit.org. This is a direct result of Detroit community pressure (initially focused on US Ecology, but applicable to Clean Earth as well). It’s possible that Clean Earth’s ongoing license renewal will be among the first tested by these new EJ and cumulative impact considerations.

Figure: Map of hazardous waste management facilities in the Detroit area (each dot represents a facility permitted to treat/store hazardous waste). The Clean Earth (Petro-Chem) facility on Lycaste Street is highlighted, indicating it accepts off-site hazardous wasteoutliermedia.org. Wayne County contains the majority of Michigan’s hazardous waste sites, clustering environmental burdens in Detroit’s communities of colorplanetdetroit.org. Policies are evolving to require cumulative impact reviews for such overburdened areas.

Legacy Contamination and Site Cleanup: The operations at 421 Lycaste span decades, and past practices (especially pre-1990s) led to environmental contamination on-site. Soil and groundwater under the facility have been impacted by leaked/spilled chemicals over timemichigan.govmichigan.gov. Investigations from 2013-2015 confirmed that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – notably methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), and xylenes – polluted soil and groundwater beneath the sitemichigan.gov. MTBE and xylenes are components of gasoline/fuel waste, and PCE is a toxic solvent; their presence suggests historical leaks from tanks or transfers. The facility is under a RCRA Corrective Action program requiring it to monitor and remediate this contaminationmichigan.gov. Petro-Chem installed monitoring wells and has been delineating the plume. They have taken interim measures like removing a contaminated soil berm and proposing a multi-phase extraction system to recover VOCs from groundwatermichigan.gov. Vapor intrusion is a concern: PCE and other VOCs could migrate as vapor to nearby structures. A 2016–2019 study assessed vapor intrusion risk to adjacent buildings (including a property just west of the site); mitigation like vapor barriers may be needed if thresholds are exceeded. EGLE also required the facility to sample for PFAS in groundwater in 2019, given the emergence of those “forever chemicals” in industrial wastesmichigan.gov. The results of PFAS sampling are pending in public records. Importantly, current data indicate contamination is largely contained on-site (no known off-site drinking water wells are in use here, and city water is used). However, there is a hydraulic connection to the Detroit River, so preventing contaminant migration is critical. The community is kept informed via EGLE’s Corrective Action updates, and many residents express concern that the site’s pollution legacy be fully addressed even as operations continue. Ensuring a thorough cleanup is part of the facility’s responsibility to the neighborhood.

Community Concerns and Testimony: People living around the facility have for years reported issues and engaged in advocacy:

  • Odors: Residents have intermittently complained of chemical odors (“rotting” or solvent-like smells) in the area, suspecting facilities like Clean Earth or Aevitas. For example, community members near Lycaste St. noted foul, gas-like odors that caused nausea and headaches, especially during warm weather or at nightclickondetroit.comclickondetroit.com. EGLE has an odor response line (PEAS hotline) that locals have used to log complaintsclickondetroit.com. While pinpointing odor sources is challenging in an industrial area, the fact that Aevitas was cited for odors in the past and Clean Earth handles odorous wastes (solvents, paint) means both are under scrutiny. Neighbors like Grassroots Detroiters, a local environmental group, have held meetings on the odor issue and pressed regulators to investigateclickondetroit.comclickondetroit.com.
  • Public Meetings & Permit Challenges: In 2022, as Petro-Chem/Clean Earth’s 10-year hazardous waste license came up for renewal, EGLE hosted virtual public meetings to inform the community and solicit inputmichigan.gov. Residents and activists used this forum to raise concerns about the facility’s compliance history, the proximity to residents, and the cumulative effect with other polluters. Some called for stricter permit conditions or even denial of the renewal if impacts couldn’t be mitigated. Detroit City Council members have also taken note – for instance, in late 2024, during Council sessions, Detroiters spoke out “rejecting pollution and waste” in their neighborhoods and pushing the city to hold such facilities accountableoutliermedia.org. This activism dovetails with broader EJ campaigns in Detroit (such as those targeting Marathon Oil in southwest Detroit and US Ecology in east Poletown).
  • Health and Safety Fears: Community testimony often highlights health anecdotes – children with asthma flare-ups, elders with COPD afraid to go outside on bad air days, strange odors causing worry about long-term cancer risks. The June 2025 inferno at Aevitas amplified these fears: residents saw how a single incident could blanket their homes in smoke and potentially toxic fallout. Many have since demanded emergency response plans be improved and queried what risk mitigation Clean Earth has in place to prevent a similar event. The Detroit Documenters project in 2024 recorded residents pleading for “an end to decades of environmental injustice” at public meetingsoutliermedia.org, indicating frustration that their neighborhoods have been treated as dumping grounds for too long.

Positive Engagement: On a constructive note, Clean Earth (and previously Stericycle) have at times engaged with the community. They’ve participated in local cleanups and career fairs and provided information when prompted by EGLE. In February 2020, the company co-hosted a public webinar on its corrective action cleanup activitiesmichigan.gov, showing willingness to be transparent about remediation progress. The hope among residents is that with heightened awareness and the new cumulative impact rules, regulators will require more stringent protections (like continuous emissions monitoring, stronger odor controls, traffic limitations, community alert systems) as part of Clean Earth’s permit.

In summary, the community around Clean Earth’s Detroit facility is burdened but mobilizing. They experience the compounded effects of multiple polluters and health disparities, but through advocacy and new environmental justice policies, they are pushing for improvements. Any policy advocacy document, such as this report, aims to support their case by compiling the facts: that this facility, while providing a waste service, must operate with the utmost care and accountability in an already overburdened area.

5. Archive and Source Documentation

The following key documents and sources provide further detail and serve as evidence for the information in this report:

  • EPA Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO), 2023 – CAA-05-2023-0044: The federal enforcement settlement for Clean Air Act violations by Petro-Chem Processing (Clean Earth). This 2023 CAFO outlines the NESHAP Subpart DD & FF violations (failure to control VOC emissions and benzene waste vapors) and includes the facility’s consent to a penalty and compliance plan. Source: U.S. EPA Region 5 Enforcement Division.
  • EPA Finding of Violation Letter, 2018: The initial notice from EPA detailing the specific air violations (vapor leaks, monitoring failures) observed in the March 2018 inspectionegle.state.mi.us. Source: EPA Region 5 correspondence (Referenced in EGLE inspection report).
  • Michigan EGLE Air Quality Violation Notices (2015–2019): State Violation Notice letters dated Oct 22, 2015; Oct 14, 2016; and June 11, 2019 documenting non-compliance with permit conditionsegle.state.mi.us. These can be accessed via EGLE’s Air Compliance database (SRN N0731). They detail issues like recordkeeping lapses and equipment testing failures.
  • EGLE Air Quality Division Inspection Report (Activity Report) – Sept 24, 2020: A comprehensive on-site inspection report by AQD staff Jonathan Lambegle.state.mi.usegle.state.mi.us. This report (7 pages) summarizes facility background, compliance history, and outstanding issues as of 2020 (including ambient air monitoring results and EPA enforcement status)egle.state.mi.us. Source: Michigan EGLE MACES database (MI SRN N0731).
  • Hazardous Waste Operating License & Renewal Application (EGLE MMD): The facility’s Part 111 hazardous waste license (last renewed Dec 18, 2012) and the renewal application submitted June 21, 2022michigan.gov. The License specifies allowed storage capacities, waste codes, and required safeguards (groundwater monitoring, secondary containment, etc.)michigan.gov. The 2022 Renewal Application (and subsequent EGLE review) is a public record – it will incorporate new conditions as needed under the recent civil rights settlement. Source: EGLE Materials Management Division files (available on request or EGLE website).
  • EGLE Petro-Chem Cleanup Fact Sheet (2020): A four-page fact sheet titled “Petro-Chem Processing Group of Nortru, LLC – Michigan Corrective Action Cleanup”michigan.gov. It outlines the history of soil and groundwater contamination at the site and the steps taken to investigate and remediate it (2013–2019)michigan.govmichigan.gov. This includes data on contaminants (MTBE, PCE, etc.) and descriptions of proposed cleanup technologies. Source: Michigan EGLE website (Materials Management Division)michigan.gov.
  • EPA RCRA Enforcement Press Release (2025): “DOJ and EPA Announce $9.5M Settlement with Stericycle, Inc. for Violations of Hazardous Waste Management Regulations” – dated Jan 17, 2025epa.gov. This press release (epa.gov) provides context on Stericycle’s nationwide RCRA violations and mentions the sale of the business to Harsco on April 6, 2020epa.govepa.gov. Useful for understanding corporate context and the compliance issues during Stericycle’s tenure.
  • Clean Earth Corporate News – Merger Announcement (2020): “Clean Earth and Stericycle Environmental Solutions Merge” – company news release dated June 25, 2020cleanearthinc.com. It highlights Harsco’s acquisition and notes that the combined Clean Earth has the “largest TSDF network in the nation,” with 88 sites. Demonstrates the scale of operations that Clean Earth (Detroit) is part of.
  • Aevitas Specialty Services – Facility Info and Fire Updates: Aevitas Detroit’s website provides a description of its operations (centralized waste treatment, oil recovery)aevitasdetroit.com. Notably, it also posts updates related to the June 30, 2025 fire (Press Release July 1, 2025). While this report focuses on Clean Earth, those updates confirm the occurrence and magnitude of the Aevitas incident, underscoring the shared risk on Lycaste Street.
  • News Media Coverage:
    • Planet Detroit (Sept 5, 2024) – “Michigan advocates hail ‘groundbreaking’ settlement to civil rights complaint over hazardous waste facility”planetdetroit.orgplanetdetroit.org. This article by Brian Allnutt covers the Title VI civil rights complaint regarding a Detroit waste facility (US Ecology) and the resulting EGLE agreement to consider cumulative impacts. It provides EJ context applicable to Clean Earth’s situation.
    • Outlier Media (Sept 11, 2024) – “Rejecting pollution and waste, Detroit works toward a cleaner future”outliermedia.org. Reported via Detroit Documenters, it summarizes resident sentiments at city meetings, mentioning hazardous waste sites and calls for environmental justice.
    • ClickOnDetroit WDIV (Sept 3, 2024) – “Neighbors complain of mysterious foul odor on Detroit’s east side”clickondetroit.comclickondetroit.com. A local TV news piece with resident interviews about odors around Gratiot/Mack (east side Detroit) and activism by Grassroots Detroiters. While not pinpointed to Clean Earth, it reflects community concerns likely related to nearby industrial emissions.
    • BridgeDetroit (2022 & 2023) – Various pieces on Detroit hazardous waste facilities (especially US Ecology) and the city’s environmental action. For example, “Did hazardous waste facility’s unreported errors put Detroiters at risk?” (July 2023) covers violations at a similar facility and by extension raises awareness for others like Petro-Chem.

All sources above are publicly accessible and have been cited in-text using the【source†lines】 format. Together, these documents form a comprehensive archive underpinning this report. Community members, organizers, and decision-makers are encouraged to consult these primary sources for deeper information. By compiling and flagging these details – Global Ownership, Tier 1 proximity, Federal Enforcement, EJ metrics – this report aims to support informed advocacy and oversight for the Clean Earth Detroit facility and its neighborhood.