10 US Ecology Detroit South – East Side Environmental

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At-A-Glance

Address: 1923 Frederick St, Detroit MI 48211
Ownership: Republic Services (acquired US Ecology 2022)
Type: RCRA TSDF (hazardous-waste treatment & storage)
Permits: EGLE License (Part 111) | RCRA ID MID074259565
Pollutants: RCRA waste streams; odors from solidification
Violations: Multiple 2020–2023 → Consent Order July 16 2024 (~$1 M penalties/SEPs)
Enforcement: EGLE order and oversight
Receptors: Homes < 0.3 mi; schools within ~1 mi
Community: Odor / fire complaints historically
Sources: EPA ECHO search | EGLE press release
Verified: October 2025

Ownership and Corporate History

US Ecology Detroit South (USE-DS) has undergone several ownership transitions in the past two decades. The facility, originally licensed under US Liquids, Inc. in 2003, was sold to The Environmental Quality Company (EQ) in 2004michigan.gov. In 2014, US Ecology, Inc. acquired EQ (including the Detroit South site) for approximately $465 millionmichigan.gov finance.yahoo.com. US Ecology itself was a longstanding hazardous waste management firm (founded 1952) that expanded its national footprint through acquisitions like EQ (2014) and NRC Group (2019)wastedive.com. In early 2022, Republic Services, Inc. – one of the nation’s largest waste companies – announced a $2.2 billion deal to acquire US Ecologyinvestor.republicservices.com wastedive.com. The takeover was completed by May 2022, bringing US Ecology and the Detroit South facility under Republic Services’ ownership and brandingmichigan.gov wastedive.com. Meanwhile, industry consolidation also saw Stericycle, Inc. exit the hazardous waste treatment space: in 2020 Harsco (Clean Earth) purchased Stericycle’s Environmental Solutions business for $462.5 millionwastedive.com. These changes reflect a broader trend of mergers in the environmental services sector, situating Detroit South as part of Republic Services’ expanded hazardous waste portfolio after 2022.

Facility Profile and Operations

A view of the US Ecology Detroit South facility at 1923 Frederick Street in Detroit, MI, as seen from the perimeter fence. The site has operated as a treatment, storage, and transfer facility for hazardous waste for over four decades.

Location and Type: USE-DS is a commercial hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF)located at 1923 Frederick Street, Detroit, Michigan 48211michigan.gov, in the city’s lower east side (Poletown East) neighborhood. The 11.5-acre site is permitted to manage both hazardous and non-hazardous industrial wastesmichigan.gov. It is one of two such facilities in Detroit (the other being US Ecology Detroit North on Georgia Street) and has been a fixture in the community since at least the 1980splanetdetroit.org michigan.gov.

Operations and Waste Streams: The Detroit South facility primarily stores wastes in tanks and containers and treatshazardous wastes through chemical stabilization/solidification processesdocumenters.org. Liquid and sludge wastes are treated by mixing with reagents (e.g. cement or absorbents) in large concrete tanks/vaults (referred to as Chem-Fix or chemical fixation tanks) to immobilize contaminantsmichigan.gov michiganpublic.org. The site’s state license allows treated waste to be solidified on-site and then shipped off-site for final disposal at licensed landfills or other facilitiesmichigan.gov. Under US Ecology’s tenure, the facility capacity was substantial: up to 1.2 million gallons of waste could be stored in tanks and containers (for up to one year), and up to 1.8 million gallons per day could be processed through treatment operationsplanetdetroit.org. Typical waste streams handled include solvents, industrial sludge, contaminated wastewater, and various RCRA hazardous wastes; Detroit South has also been licensed to handle PCBs and other toxic substances in certain waste mixturesplanetdetroit.org planetdetroit.org. The facility does not operate an incinerator or landfill on-site – it functions as a transfer and treatment hub, sending treated residuals elsewhere for disposalmichigan.gov.

Permits and Regulatory Status: USE-DS operates under a Michigan hazardous waste operating license (equivalent to a RCRA permit) originally issued in 2003 and administratively continued pending renewaldetroitnews.com. The current owners applied for a renewal in 2008, but as of 2024 the license renewal was still under technical review by state regulatorsdetroitnews.com. This means the facility has been running on an extended license for over a decade. The site’s RCRA/EPA ID is MID980991566michigan.gov. In addition to its hazardous waste license, the facility has air quality permits (it is a synthetic minor source for air emissions) and approvals to discharge pre-treated wastewater. Notably, Detroit South is allowed to release treated effluent to the municipal sewer system (historically up to 300,000 gallons per day, similar to its sister facility)planetdetroit.org. The facility’s air permit and compliance documents indicate odor and volatile emissions controls are required, though community complaints (detailed below) suggest these measures have often been inadequate. Key infrastructure on site includes large outdoor waste storage tanks, concrete treatment vaults (numbered in the 700-series, e.g. Tanks 701–704), drum/container storage areas, and enclosed processing buildingsmichigan.gov michiganpublic.org. An EGLE fact sheet notes the facility treats and solidifies waste before off-site disposal, and it can store wastes in container storage units as well as tank systemsdocumenters.org. Recent upgrades (completed in 2023–2024) include installation of a new “state-of-the-art” tank system and secondary containment, per the companybridgedetroit.com.

Inspection and Compliance History (2014–2024)

US Ecology Detroit South has a lengthy record of environmental violations and has been under close regulatory scrutiny, especially in the last five years. State of Michigan inspectors (EGLE) documented dozens of violations at the facility, leading to multiple enforcement actions:

2014–2019: During this period (after US Ecology’s acquisition of EQ), the facility accumulated numerous violations related to air emissions, odors, and waste handling. A Detroit Free Press investigation in 2016 revealed over 150 incidents since 2010 where US Ecology’s wastewater discharges exceeded toxic chemical limits (e.g. for mercury and arsenic) going into Detroit’s sewer systemfreep.comcommunistvoice.org. These chronic exceedances angered residents and foreshadowed broader compliance issues. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now EGLE) inspectors issued violation notices for problems such as improper waste storage and strong chemical odors escaping the sitebridgemi.com bridgemi.com. By 2017–2019, at least 27 violation notices had been issued and the state negotiated an Administrative Consent Order in 2020 to “address ongoing issues”bridgedetroit.com bridgemi.com. However, that 2020 order (with EQ Detroit Inc. as respondent) imposed no fines; it mainly outlined corrective steps and stipulated penalties for future infractionsbridgemi.com. Despite the order, violations continued unabated.
2020–2023: Following the 2020 agreement, EGLE cited Detroit South for at least 14 additional violations from late 2020 through 2023bridgedetroit.com bridgemi.com. Inspectors repeatedly found “persistent and objectionable” odors detectable in downwind neighborhoods, constituting air quality violationsplanetdetroit.org. Other violations included failure to properly screen wastes, unreported equipment modifications, and structural integrity problems (see below)michiganpublic.org detroitnews.com. EGLE could have levied penalties up to $7,000 for these post-2020 infractions, but initially only fined the company a token $2,000 (for two odor violations) while “dozens more [violations] accrued over the years without penalty”bridgedetroit.com bridgemi.com. This lax enforcement approach drew sharp criticism from residents and environmental advocates, who noted that repeated non-compliance had little financial consequence for the companybridgemi.com bridgemi.com.
Major 2024 Enforcement: By 2023, serious safety failures prompted more aggressive action. Inspectors discovered a hazardous waste leak in April 2023 that had potential to contaminate soil/groundwater, which US Ecology had failed to reportbridgemi.com. They also noted that one of the large concrete treatment tanks had cracks and was no longer leak-proof, with liquids (including presumed groundwater) infiltrating the tank structuremichiganpublic.org. Additionally, on December 28, 2022, a fire ignited inside “Tank 703” in the chemical fixation building during waste treatmentmichigan.gov detroitnews.com. These incidents, combined with prior violations, led EGLE to negotiate a new Administrative Consent Order in mid-2024. Signed July 15, 2024, the order cites violations dating back to April 2020 (improper waste screening, internal control failures, tank and drum storage area damage) and imposes nearly $1 million in penalties and remediesmichigan.gov michigan.gov. US Ecology Detroit South agreed to pay $34,225 as an upfront state fine and $24,307 to reimburse enforcement costsmichigan.gov. More significantly, $927,423 must be placed into an escrow account to fund Supplemental Environmental Projects benefiting the communitymichigan.gov detroitnews.com. The 2024 order also mandates a suite of corrective actions: e.g. certify all waste tanks meet standards, implement stricter waste acceptance procedures, increase inspections of storage areas, initiate regular groundwater monitoring, and conduct a feasibility study for additional air emission controls to curb odorsmichigan.gov michigan.gov. Notably, the consent order allowed the facility to resume operations (solidification processes had been suspended by EGLE in June 2023 for safety) only after repairs were made and new controls in placemichigan.gov michiganpublic.org. The order puts Detroit South on a tighter leash: future violations can trigger daily fines of $500–$25,000 under specified conditionsbridgedetroit.com.

Federal and OSHA Oversight: There is limited record of direct EPA enforcement against the site in the past decade, likely because Michigan is authorized to run RCRA and air programs. However, US Ecology Detroit South is listed as a corrective action (CORRACTS) site under RCRA, and EPA was kept apprised of major violations. In September 2020, a Title VI civil rights complaint was filed (see later section) partly alleging that EPA funding was enabling discriminatory impacts from the facilityplanetdetroit.org. On the workplace safety front, MIOSHA (Michigan OSHA) conducted an inspection at Detroit South following a serious worker injury in July 2019. In that incident, a forklift operator hit a floor hole while carrying a 55-gallon drum of acetic acid, causing the drum to fall and rupture; the employee slipped into the spilled acid and suffered second-degree chemical burns on his lower body, requiring hospitalizationosha.gov osha.gov. MIOSHA’s investigation resulted in several citations (for serious and “other” safety violations, e.g. lack of floor maintenance and improper handling procedures) and an initial fine of $10,300, later settled for $2,750osha.gov osha.gov. The company abated the cited hazards. This episode underscores that compliance problems at the site extended to worker safety as well, not just environmental performance.

In summary, from 2014 to 2024 US Ecology Detroit South amassed a troubling compliance record: dozens of state violations (for air pollution, waste mismanagement, and reporting failures), at least two industrial accidents (a fire and a chemical spill injury), and multiple enforcement agreements. By 2024, regulators were finally imposing monetary penalties and requiring improvements after years of community complaints that the facility was “repeat violator” operating with impunitybridgemi.com bridgemi.com.

Community Complaints and Notable Incidents

Residents living near the Detroit South facility have long reported foul odors, noises, and other nuisances stemming from its operations. Many describe the smells as “persistent” and “objectionable odors” that at times make it difficult to go outdoors or open windowsplanetdetroit.org planetdetroit.org. Common odor descriptors include bleach- or solvent-like smells, rotten egg/fish odors, and chemical sweet smells – an indication of volatile organic compounds or other chemicals escaping the plantdetroitnews.com bridgemi.com. For example, neighbors told the Detroit News that at times the facility emitted a stench like “bleach, rotten fish and magic markers” that permeated the residential blocks downwinddetroitnews.com. These nuisance odors have been a top complaint and led to multiple odor violation notices by EGLE (as noted, two such incidents in 2021 resulted in a token fine)bridgemi.com bridgemi.com.

Community members have also raised alarms about accidents and safety incidents. A particularly serious event occurred on December 28, 2022, when a fire broke out in one of the solidification tanks (Tank 703) during waste treatmentmichigan.gov. On-site emergency crews extinguished the fire, and fortunately no injuries were reported, but the incident heightened fears of what could happen “if something goes wrong” at the plant. EGLE inspectors noted that the fire likely resulted from an uncontrolled chemical reaction (implying improper waste mixing or acceptance of reactive materials)detroitnews.com. Consequently, that damaged tank was taken out of service, and the solidification process was temporarily halted in mid-2023 for safety evaluationsdocumenters.org michigan.gov. Earlier, in April 2023, inspectors discovered an unreported leak from the facility’s tank system – liquids had seeped into a secondary containment area and possibly the ground. US Ecology admitted that liquid had been present in some containment ports “since around 2018,” indicating a chronic issue that was not communicated to regulatorsbridgemi.com. This leak raised concerns about groundwater contamination, though subsequent testing (under the 2024 order) indicated no off-site groundwater impact had occurredbridgedetroit.com.

Historical incidents also fuel community distrust. In 2013, a mysterious yellow foam bubbled up from the sewers on a street near the facility (Georgia St.), covering the roadway. US Ecology claimed the foam was just a soap solution, but it was never independently tested, leaving residents uneasy about unknown chemicals traveling through the combined sewer systemplanetdetroit.org. The area has experienced sewer backups during heavy rains, and locals fear that hazardous waste residues could backflow into their homes during floodsplanetdetroit.org. These worries are compounded by knowledge of past issues: as noted, between 2010 and 2016 the facility repeatedly exceeded discharge limits for toxins into the sewer, and there was even a documented explosion at a US Ecology facility in Idaho in 2018 (killing one worker) that Detroit residents cite as a cautionary exampleplanetdetroit.org planetdetroit.org.

Residents have diligently filed complaints via hotlines and public meetings. Longtime neighbor Adam Verville has made “several complaints” about odors affecting his family’s quality of lifebridgemi.com bridgemi.com. “It’s hard for us to come outside when you have all these different smells… it does affect our breathing,” said another local, Martha Calloway, at a 2025 hearingplanetdetroit.org. Activist Melissa Sargent, who lives nearby, called the minimal fines “atrocious” – “a slap on the wrist” given the facility’s 40+ violations in a decadebridgemi.com. The Detroit-Hamtramck Coalition for Advancing Healthy Environments (DHCAE), a local group, documented odors and pushed regulators to act. Their pressure contributed to EGLE installing an air monitor near the facility to collect data on emissions and odors (by late 2024, additional ambient air monitoring was being planned around the site)bridgedetroit.com greatlakesnow.org. EGLE’s own records acknowledge “persistent odor issues of moderate to strong intensity impacting residential areas” downwind, which led to formal odor violation notices – including one issued September 4, 2025, on the very day of a public hearing about the plant’s licenseplanetdetroit.org.

In summary, the community surrounding US Ecology Detroit South has endured years of nuisance odors, feared accidents (with one fire confirming those fears), and environmental stress. These local observations and reports were critical in bringing regulatory attention to the facility’s problems. By 2024, residents’ complaints were vindicated by the state’s findings: the site indeed had significant operational problems that created off-site impacts, validating the neighborhood’s concerns that living near the “noxious” waste facility was affecting their health and quality of lifebridgemi.com bridgemi.com.

Environmental Justice Profile of the Surrounding Neighborhood

Detroit South’s neighborhood exemplifies an environmental justice (EJ) community with a high pollution burden and vulnerable demographics. The facility is located in Detroit’s 48211/48213 ZIP code area, near the Hamtramck border – a predominantly Black and Brown community with significant populations of Middle Eastern (Yemeni) and Bangladeshi American residentsgreatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. Socioeconomic indicators are stark: within a 3-mile radius of the site, roughly 80% of residents are people of color and 70% are low-income, far above state averagesplanetdetroit.org. (For context, people of color comprise only ~25% of Michigan’s population, yet 65% of those living within 3 miles of any commercial hazardous waste facility in Michigan are people of colorgreatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org.) The neighborhood around USE-DS also has a sizeable limited-English-proficiency population (about 12% within 3 miles), mainly due to Arabic- and Bengali-speaking immigrant communitiesplanetdetroit.org. EGLE’s own MiEJScreen analysis determined the area qualifies as an EJ community, triggering requirements for translated notices and enhanced outreach during the licensing processmichigan.gov michigan.gov. Public meeting notices for the facility have been provided in Arabic and Bengali in addition to Englishplanetdetroit.org michigan.gov.

Environmental health metrics for the area are among the worst in Michigan. According to MiEJScreen data, several census tracts near the facility rank in the 95th to 100th percentile statewide for combined environmental and demographic stressorsmichigan.gov michigan.gov. For instance, one tract (Tract 5162) has a MiEJScreen Score at the 100th percentile (worst in state) with environmental condition indicators at the 89th percentilemichigan.gov. Many nearby tracts have MiEJ scores in the high 90s, reflecting extremely elevated burdensmichigan.gov michigan.gov. These scores factor in pollution exposures (like air toxics, particulate matter, ozone, and traffic proximity) and population vulnerabilities (like poverty, minority population, and asthma rates). The lower east side of Detroit where USE-DS is sited is encircled by multiple pollution sources – it lies just southeast of the busy I-75/I-94 freeway interchange and is not far from where a massive trash incinerator operated until 2019planetdetroit.org. The area also hosts other industrial facilities (auto plants, steel facilities, etc.), leading to a cumulative pollution burden well above regional norms. Residents here experience higher estimated cancer risks from air toxics and elevated respiratory hazard indices (as indicated by EPA NATA data) compared to most of the state. The demographic indicators compound the concern: e.g. in some blocks around the site, over 90% of residents are minority and more than 40% live below poverty level, alongside elevated asthma and heart disease ratesgreatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. Life expectancy in the host zip code is substantially lower than wealthier suburban communities, reflecting long-term health disparities.

State and federal agencies have recognized this disproportionate impact. In 2022, community groups filed a civil rights complaint alleging that Michigan’s permitting of hazardous waste facilities in such communities had a discriminatory effect (this was in response to a license granted to the nearby US Ecology North facility)greatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. In 2023, that complaint yielded a settlement agreement in which EGLE committed to consider cumulative impacts and EJ metrics when reviewing permits, and to improve outreach and translation for affected communitiesgreatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. For the Detroit South facility’s ongoing license renewal, EGLE performed an EJ analysis using EPA’s EJScreen and the state MiEJScreen tool, which confirmed the area’s high burden and led to enhanced public engagement efforts (e.g. multiple languages, extra public comment meetings)michigan.gov michigan.gov. The bottom line is that the neighborhood around US Ecology Detroit South is highly overburdened: it has one of the highest concentrations of environmental risk factors in Michigan coupled with a population that is socioeconomically vulnerable and predominantly composed of minorities and immigrants. This profile underscores the importance of strict oversight and community involvement in decisions about the facility’s future.

US Ecology/Republic Services National Footprint and Detroit South’s Role

Prior to its acquisition by Republic Services, US Ecology, Inc. was one of the largest hazardous waste management companies in North America. As of 2021, US Ecology’s portfolio included 16 treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) across the U.S. and Canada, 7 specialized wastewater treatment facilities, and 9 hazardous waste landfills(the company was the nation’s largest operator of hazardous waste landfills by volume)wastedive.com wastedive.com. It also ran over 80 field service locations for emergency response, industrial cleaning, and remediation serviceswastedive.com. Facilities in the US Ecology network handle a wide array of dangerous materials – from industrial chemicals and contaminated soil to low-level radioactive waste and PCBswastedive.com. The Detroit South site is part of this network of TSDFs, which serve as regional hubs managing wastes from numerous generators. (Indeed, Michigan officials noted that a large share of the hazardous waste processed in Wayne County comes from out-of-county and even out-of-state sourcesplanetdetroit.org. Detroit South and its sister Detroit North facility together receive waste from across Michigan and sometimes other states, reflecting their importance in the broader waste infrastructure.)

Within US Ecology’s lineup, Detroit South was historically known as “EQ Detroit” and functioned as a major processing center in the Midwest. It complements the Detroit North facility (located ~2 miles away), which specializes in storage and also underwent an expansion in 2020 to nearly nine times its previous capacityplanetdetroit.org. The two Detroit facilities, in tandem, make the Detroit area a significant hazardous waste handling cluster for US Ecology/Republic. Detroit South primarily does liquids and sludge solidification, whereas Detroit North (with a large tank farm and warehouse) handles more storage and some treatment of solids, including a capacity to store hundreds of thousands of gallons and even take in PFAS-containing wastesplanetdetroit.org. Together, they serve automotive, chemical, and other industries in the region that generate RCRA hazardous wastes. Notably, Wayne County alone hosts 6 of Michigan’s 8 commercial hazardous waste facilitiesgreatlakesnow.org planetdetroit.org, illustrating how heavily concentrated these operations are near Detroit. This concentration provides “economies of scale” for companies like US Ecology (now Republic) but also concentrates the risks in one geographic and demographic area.

Republic Services’ acquisition of US Ecology in 2022 was a strategic move to enter the hazardous and industrial waste market at scale. Republic, known primarily for municipal solid waste and recycling, formed an “Environmental Solutions” division to handle complex wastes for its customerswastedive.com. By absorbing US Ecology, Republic instantly obtained a coast-to-coast network for hazardous waste disposal, treatment, and emergency response. The Detroit South facility now falls under Republic’s Environmental Solutions business unit. Republic’s executives have highlighted that the acquisition gives them vertical integration for customers needing hazardous waste disposal, and that US Ecology’s specialized facilities (like Detroit South) have “high barriers to entry” due to the complex permits and infrastructure requiredwastedive.com. In other words, a site like Detroit South is a valuable asset: it’s an established, permitted TSDF in a major industrial region. Republic’s financial filings noted that US Ecology’s operations would add roughly $1.4 billion in annual environmental services revenue to Republicwastedive.com. Detroit South contributes to that revenue by handling tens of millions of gallons of waste annually.

However, Detroit South also represents a liability in the corporate portfolio due to its compliance history and community relations challenges. Republic Services, aware of these issues, has publicly stated it is investing to “bring this recently acquired facility up to our high operating standards”bridgedetroit.com. The company reported making upgrades such as installing new tank systems and monitoring wells, and enhancing waste pre-acceptance protocols at Detroit Southdetroitnews.com bridgedetroit.com. These improvements were cited in the wake of the 2024 consent order to assure regulators and the public that Republic will run the site more safely. Republic also now faces the task of rebuilding trust with the local community (discussed below). In short, Detroit South is now one piece of Republic’s national hazardous waste footprint – a footprint that also includes legacy US Ecology landfills in the West (e.g. Idaho, Nevada, Texas), chemical processing facilities in the Gulf Coast and Northeast, and a suite of field services across many stateswastedive.com. Its role is to serve the Midwest industrial corridor, but it also exemplifies the environmental justice and compliance challenges that can accompany such facilities. Republic’s competitor Clean Harbors and the newly expanded Clean Earth (Enviri) operate similar facilities, but Republic’s entry via US Ecology has made it a major player in this niche. Stericycle, for its part, primarily focused on medical waste and had a smaller hazardous waste segment – after selling that segment in 2020, Stericycle does not directly figure into Detroit South’s operation, except historically as an industry peer. (It is noteworthy that Stericycle once operated a medical waste incinerator in the Detroit area, which closed in 2019 under community pressure, further highlighting local activism on waste facilities.)

In summary, US Ecology Detroit South is a regional linchpin in a nationwide hazardous waste network now owned by Republic Services. Its performance and management are not only local concerns but also part of Republic’s national strategy for growth in environmental services. Ensuring compliance and safety at Detroit South is critical for Republic to demonstrate that it can successfully integrate US Ecology’s high-risk facilities into a broader, responsible waste management enterprise.

Public Engagement, Media Coverage, and Community Response

Public scrutiny and activism concerning US Ecology Detroit South have intensified over the past decade, driven by residents, local leaders, and environmental justice groups. The facility’s checkered record did not go unnoticed: it has been the subject of numerous news articles, town hall meetings, and even litigation by community members. Local media like BridgeDetroit, Planet Detroit, and Detroit Free Press ran investigative pieces highlighting the facility’s violations and the state’s slow enforcement, amplifying public calls for actionbridgemi.com michiganpublic.org. For example, a July 2023 Bridge Michigan exposé titled “Dozens of violations, just $2,000 in fines…” galvanized public outrage by revealing how lenient regulatory response had beenbridgemi.com bridgemi.com. This coverage put pressure on EGLE to justify its approach and accelerated enforcement efforts that led to the 2024 consent order.

Neighborhood organizations have been highly engaged. The Detroit Hamtramck Coalition for Advancing Healthy Environments (DHCAE) has for years been advocating for stricter oversight of the facility and relief for residents. Coalition members attended public hearings, submitted complaints, and even met directly with company officials. In 2023–2024, the coalition worked with US Ecology (Republic Services) to brainstorm community environmental projects to be funded by the consent order’s SEP moneybridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. Ideas proposed include building a vegetative buffer (tree barrier) around the site, installing real-time air quality monitors in the neighborhood, providing in-home air filtration units for residents, and funding home repairs or energy efficiency upgrades for nearby householdsbridgedetroit.com detroitnews.com. By late 2024, a working group with residents and Republic was drafting an agreement on these projects, with a commitment to present the plan for community reviewdetroitnews.com. This kind of collaboration indicates that public pressure translated into material concessions to improve local conditions.

Local elected officials have also intervened. U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (whose district includes the area) has been an outspoken critic of the facility. In December 2022, Rep. Tlaib and Rep. Ro Khanna sent a joint letter to US Ecology and another polluter (Stellantis) demanding information on toxic emissions and plans to mitigate harm to residentsbridgemi.com. Tlaib also publicly urged EGLE to deny US Ecology’s license renewal in 2022, aligning with residents’ desire for stricter actiondetroitnews.com. State legislators and Detroit city council members have similarly raised concerns, especially after the 2022 fire. Their involvement lent political weight to community demands.

One of the most significant developments in community response was the use of legal action. In early 2024, a group of residents led by plaintiff Paul Burks filed a class-action lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court against EQ Detroit Inc. d/b/a US Ecology Detroit South. The suit alleged that the facility’s releases of pollutants and noxious odors constituted a public and private nuisance, interfering with residents’ use and enjoyment of their propertylsccounsel.com. Rather than litigate, the company reached a settlement agreement that was preliminarily approved by the court in 2024. According to the settlement terms, US Ecology (Republic) agreed to create a $780,000 cash fund to compensate residents within a one-mile radius of the facility for the impacts they enduredlsccounsel.com lsccounsel.com. Eligible households (owner-occupants and renters within one mile, between Jan 2021 and the settlement date) can file claims to receive a portion of this fundlsccounsel.com. Additionally – and critically – the settlement requires the company to invest at least $1,560,000 in environmental control measures at the Detroit South facility over the next three years to mitigate odors and emissionslsccounsel.com. These measures likely include upgrading the air pollution control systems, better enclosure of odor-generating processes, and more robust monitoring. The class action settlement is a landmark outcome driven by community activism; it not only provides direct monetary relief to affected residents but also forces operational improvements beyond what regulators had mandated. Final approval of this settlement and implementation of the controls are expected in 2025, and a claims process is underway for residents (with notices, claim forms, and opt-out options communicated in mid-2025)lsccounsel.com lsccounsel.com.

Meanwhile, throughout 2023–2025, public meetings and hearings have been crucial forums. EGLE hosted multiple meetings on the facility’s license renewal – including an informational session in August 2025 and a public hearing in September 2025 – where residents voiced their experiences and concernsplanetdetroit.org planetdetroit.org. At the September 4, 2025 hearing, residents like Adam Verville spoke out against renewing the license without significant changes, citing the facility’s “history of violations, limited community engagement, and air quality and nuisance odors”planetdetroit.org. That hearing coincidentally occurred the same day EGLE issued another odor violation notice, underscoring the ongoing nature of the problemsplanetdetroit.org. The public comment period was extended due to high interest, and hundreds of comments were submitted on the draft license. EGLE officials have noted that this level of public participation is far greater than for a typical permit, reflecting community determination to be heard. The Title VI civil rights complaint settlement (from the US Ecology North case, settled in 2024) has also led EGLE to improve its public outreach: for Detroit South, the agency provided interpreters and materials in Bengali and Arabic and committed to evaluating cumulative impacts before deciding on the licensegreatlakesnow.org michigan.gov. These steps can be attributed to community and advocacy group pressure ensuring that environmental justice considerations are front and center.

Media reporting has generally reinforced the community’s position that stronger oversight was needed. For instance, Planet Detroit and Great Lakes Now hailed the 2024 consent order and the civil rights complaint settlement as “groundbreaking” for addressing long-standing EJ issuesgreatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. They also highlighted that Detroit residents had fought for years for these outcomes – e.g. quoting EJ attorney Nick Leonard that the settlement is “a foundation… If we want a more environmentally just future, we have to continue our work”greatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. This narrative crediting community advocacy has been important in validating residents’ efforts and maintaining momentum.

In summary, the public engagement surrounding US Ecology Detroit South has evolved into a multifaceted push for accountability: investigative journalism, political advocacy, community organizing, legal action, and direct collaboration on remedies have all played a part. The community’s response was not merely oppositional; it has been solution-oriented as well – securing funds for improvements and proposing concrete projects to mitigate harm. As of the end of 2024, the facility’s future remains under debate (with the state deciding whether to reissue the operating license in 2025), but one thing is clear: the people living in its shadow have found their voice and forced a spotlight on this once-overlooked hazardous waste site. Their activism has led to stronger enforcement, a pending class-action settlement, and a precedent-setting commitment by regulators to consider cumulative environmental impacts before granting approvalsgreatlakesnow.org greatlakesnow.org. US Ecology Detroit South’s story over the past ten years thus highlights not only environmental violations but also the power of community-driven action in pursuing environmental justice and public health protection.

Sources: The information in this report was compiled from regulatory documents, Michigan EGLE press releases, EPA data, news outlets (Detroit News, BridgeDetroit/Bridge Michigan, Planet Detroit, Great Lakes Now), and public records. Key sources include EGLE’s July 2024 consent order and related news coveragemichigan.gov detroitnews.com, data from EPA’s EJScreen/MiEJScreen analysis for the sitemichigan.gov planetdetroit.org, and the class action settlementdocuments from Wayne County Circuit Courtlsccounsel.com lsccounsel.com, among others. These are cited throughout the report in the format 【source†lines】.