US Ecology Detroit North (Formerly Dynecol)

US Ecology Detroit North is a hazardous waste treatment and storage facility located on Georgia Street in northeast Detroit, Michigan (in the I-94 Industrial Corridor near Hamtramck). Formerly known as Dynecol, Inc., the facility has operated on this industrial site since before 1930michigan.gov. Over the past decade (2014–2024), Detroit North has been the focus of regulatory scrutiny, community concern, and environmental justice advocacy. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the facility’s history, operations, permits, compliance record, environmental justice context, and community engagement.

Company History and Ownership

US Ecology Detroit North’s roots trace back to a Detroit-based chemical waste processor: Dynecol, Inc. (originally Waste Acid Service in the 1970s) which managed acidic waste from the steel industrymichigan.gov. In May 2012, US Ecology announced it would acquire Dynecol from PVS Chemicals for $11.25 millionwastedive.com. This acquisition gave US Ecology a physical foothold in the Midwest for hazardous liquid waste processing. After the sale (completed upon permit transfers), Dynecol was renamed US Ecology Michigan, Inc. and became known as US Ecology’s Detroit North facility. US Ecology further expanded its Michigan presence by acquiring The Environmental Quality Company (EQ) in 2014, which added EQ’s Detroit South facility and a hazardous waste landfill in Belleville, MI to its portfoliomichigan.gov.

In recent years, corporate ownership changed again: in 2022, Republic Services (NYSE:RSG) – one of the nation’s largest waste management firms – acquired US Ecology outright in a $2.2 billion dealwastedive.com. As of May 2022, US Ecology Detroit North operates under Republic Services’ Environmental Solutions division. Republic’s CEO noted this strategic acquisition expanded their footprint in hazardous waste management across the U.S. and Canadawastedive.com. Today, Republic Services is responsible for compliance and operations at Detroit North, though the facility still commonly goes by the US Ecology name.

Detroit North Facility Location and Operations

Figure: View of the US Ecology Detroit North/South hazardous waste complex in Detroit’s Poletown Industrial area. The facility includes tank farms, processing buildings, and drum storage areas behind a secure fence (Photo: BridgeDetroit/Quinn Banks, 2023)bridgedetroit.com.

Location: US Ecology Detroit North is situated at 6520 Georgia Street, Detroit, MI 48211, in an industrial corridor along I-94 on the city’s lower east side (the historic “Poletown East” area). The site was established as an industrial property prior to 1930michigan.gov. Over the decades, the surrounding land use transitioned from residential to heavy industrial – the City of Detroit has officially zoned it as the I-94 Industrial Corridormichigan.gov. Nearby facilities include automotive suppliers, steel processing, trucking yards, and another hazardous waste plant (US Ecology’s Detroit South, about 2 miles away). Residential neighborhoods, though diminished, lie just west and south – home to many Black, Bangladeshi, and Yemeni-American families who remain in the areabridgemi.com bridgemi.com. This proximity of homes to hazardous industry makes environmental controls especially critical.

Facility Description: Detroit North is licensed as a RCRA Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste. It operates under Michigan’s Part 111 Hazardous Waste regulations (equivalent to federal RCRA) and has been continuously licensed since the 1980s (Dynecol was “grandfathered” in when RCRA took effect)michigan.gov. The site consists of several processing buildings, storage tank farms, drum/container storage areas, and equipment for treating liquid wastes. Notably, the facility does not have a landfill or deep-well on site – it treats and temporarily stores wastes but ultimately sends treated effluent to the sewer or ships residues off-site for final disposalmichigan.gov.

Expansion and Capacity: In the 2010s, US Ecology pursued a major expansion of Detroit North’s capacity. After years of regulatory review and public controversy (detailed later), Michigan EGLE approved the expansion in January 2020, allowing roughly a nine-fold increase in hazardous waste storage capacitymichiganpublic.org. Tank storage capacity jumped from about 23,000 gallons to 176,000 gallonsmichigan.gov, and total container (drum) storage capacity from ~53,000 gallons to over 500,000 gallonsmichigan.gov. The facility added new buildings (Building 5A/5B) for container storage and repurposed others to handle hazardous materials instead of just solid wastemichigan.gov. Importantly, the permit expansion was for storage and processing capacity; US Ecology stated it would not proportionally increase daily waste throughput, just allow more on-site inventorymichiganpublic.org. In fact, the hazardous wastewater treatment rate remains limited to 144,000 gallons per day, with a maximum discharge of 300,000 gallons per day to the sewer system (if operating at full design batch capacity)michigan.gov. The site operates in batch mode – treating up to 15,000 gallons per batch, with up to 20 batches per day, under a permit from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department for industrial dischargemichigan.gov. Any discharge to the municipal POTW (Publicly Owned Treatment Works) must meet pretreatment standards, and solids separated from the waste are not dumped to sewer but are shipped off-site after stabilizationmichigan.gov.

Treatment Processes: US Ecology Detroit North specializes in treating hazardous liquid wastes. Key processes include chemical neutralization (e.g. adding caustic to acidic waste), precipitation and filtration (to remove heavy metals), and dissolved air flotation (to separate oils and solids)michigan.gov. Wastewater from clients (often high-strength acids, caustics, metal-bearing rinse waters, etc.) is brought in via tanker or drums and processed in batches. The treated water, once it meets strict limits for pollutants, is “dumped” to the sewer under permitmichigan.gov. Sludges from the treatment (containing the filtered-out contaminants) are stabilized (solidified) with agents like cement or fly ash in mixing units. Historically, the facility was also licensed under Michigan’s Part 115 as a solid waste processing plant to solidify non-hazardous industrial sludgesmichigan.gov. Under the new license, it can solidify certain hazardous sludges as well (up to 1,200 tons per day of hazardous solids) using similar processesmichigan.gov. All solidified waste is shipped off-site to a licensed landfill (often to US Ecology’s own hazardous waste landfill in Belleville, MI).

Permits: Detroit North operates under multiple environmental permits: a RCRA Subtitle C hazardous waste operating license (issued by EGLE, renewed roughly every 10 years), a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) industrial user permit for its sewer discharges (administered by the Great Lakes Water Authority/Detroit POTW), and various air quality permits. The facility has numerous air pollution controls (e.g. covered tanks, vapor scrubbers) and operates as a “synthetic minor” source under Clean Air Act rules – meaning it has permit limits to keep emissions (especially volatile organic compounds from solvent wastes) below major source thresholds. In practice, the site must comply with federal air toxics standards for waste operations (e.g. NESHAP Subpart DD for hazardous waste tanks). As part of the 2020 expansion review, EGLE noted that Detroit North had waivers from certain requirements like groundwater monitoring, which concerned residentsplanetdetroit.org. (Because the facility is not a landfill and mainly handles liquids in tanks, regulators allowed some leeway on soil/groundwater monitoring – a decision later criticized given a tank leak incident in 2023, discussed below.)

Types of Hazardous Waste and Materials Handled

US Ecology Detroit North is a commercial hazardous waste hub and accepts a wide variety of waste streams from industrial clients across the Midwest and Canadawastedive.com. Key categories of waste handled include:

Corrosive Liquids (Acids and Caustics): A large portion of the waste are acidic liquors from metal finishing and steel production (e.g. steel pickling liquor, which contains hydrochloric or sulfuric acid with dissolved metals)michigan.gov. These are neutralized with alkali and treated to remove metals. The original Dynecol business was built on acid recycling for steel companies, so acid waste remains a core feedstock. Caustic (high pH) wastes and acidic wastes may be combined in treatment to neutralize each other.
Heavy Metal-Bearing Wastewater: The facility treats wastes containing dissolved metals such as mercury, arsenic, cyanide, chromium, zinc, and others from industrial processesmichiganpublic.org. Through precipitation and filtration, metals are removed before water is discharged. (A 2016 investigation found these metals were historically discharged above permitted levels – see Compliance section.) The captured metal-laden sludge is then disposed of as hazardous waste.
Oily and Organic Chemical Waste: US Ecology handles waste oils, oily wastewater (e.g. from automotive plants), solvents, paint-related wastes, and other organic liquid wasteschwmeg.org. These often require separation of phases (oil/water) and air emissions control due to volatile organic compounds. The facility consolidates compatible solvent wastes and may ship them out for fuel blending or incineration elsewhere. Some high-organic liquids are treated on-site via physical/chemical means (e.g. emulsion breaking, carbon filtration).
PFAS-Contaminated Materials: In recent years, Detroit North began accepting PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) containing wastes. Notably, firefighting foam waste from PFAS remediation projects across Michigan has been brought to this site for storage/transfermichiganpublic.org. US Ecology holds these foams and contaminated liquids temporarily before shipping them to out-of-state facilities that can destroy PFAS (since PFAS require special treatment like high-temperature incineration). The decision to handle PFAS in Detroit drew concern due to PFAS’s “forever chemical” persistence.
TENORM (Radioactive) Waste: The facility solidifies low-activity radioactive waste classified as TENORM(Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material)michiganpublic.org. This includes things like filter media or sludges from oil/gas fracking operations that contain radium at low levels. TENORM waste is received in solid form, mixed with cement/stabilizer in a dedicated bin, and then shipped off-site to a radioactive waste disposal sitemichigan.gov. No liquids containing TENORM are discharged to the sewermichigan.gov. Regulators and the City of Detroit scrutinized this practice; the city initially asked US Ecology to stop taking TENORM, but the company insisted on keeping that option open (TENORM handling is legal since levels are below federal regulatory thresholds)michigan.gov michigan.gov. US Ecology and EGLE have stated that the radioactivity levels are very low and pose minimal risk to workers or the public, as long as material is handled properlymichigan.gov.
Drummed Hazardous Wastes: The site accepts various containerized wastes (lab packs, drums, totes)containing hazardous chemicals, which are consolidated or stored and then sent to appropriate disposal facilitieschwmeg.org. For example, a customer’s 55-gallon drums of compatible waste might be bulking into a larger tank for treatment or shipment. Detroit North’s expanded license added more drum storage capacity in new buildingsmichigan.gov.
Non-Hazardous Industrial Waste: Under its solid waste permit, the facility also takes some non-hazardous liquid or sludge wastes (like certain manufacturing wastewaters or sludges that don’t meet the definition of hazardous). These can be treated similarly or simply solidified and landfilled. US Ecology’s process of stabilizing sludge in large mixing tanks was originally developed for such non-hazardous waste, but now is also applied to hazardous waste stabilizationmichigan.gov.

In summary, Detroit North is a multi-purpose hazardous waste facility equipped to handle acids, bases, heavy metals, solvents, oil, contaminated water, and even emerging problem wastes like PFAS and low-level radioactive material. This wide range makes it a critical service provider for industry – but also means stringent safety and environmental controls must be in place for a myriad of dangerous substances.

Regulatory Violations and Enforcement Actions (2014–2024)

Operating a hazardous waste facility of this scale comes with significant regulatory oversight. Over the past decade, US Ecology’s Detroit facilities (North and South) have experienced numerous violations cited by environmental agencies and have been subject to several enforcement actions. The record reveals a history of non-compliance issues related to water pollution, waste handling, air quality (odors), and reporting – which in turn spurred stronger community and regulator responses by the mid-2020s.

Hazardous Waste and Water Pollution Violations

One major area of concern has been the facility’s wastewater discharges to the Detroit sewer system. A 2016 investigative report by the Detroit Free Press (using data from 2010–2016) uncovered that the Detroit North plant exceeded its permitted discharge limits over 150 times in six yearsmichiganpublic.org. These “exceedances” involved toxic chemicals – notably mercury, arsenic, cyanide, and other heavy metals – being released into the city’s sewer at levels above allowed thresholdsmichiganpublic.org. Such pollutants can pass through wastewater treatment and pose risks to waterways. US Ecology (through a spokesperson) acknowledged the historical issues but claimed that most violations occurred under prior ownership (pre-2012) and that they had made “major improvements” after acquiring Dynecolmichiganpublic.org. However, the Free Press found serious violations did continue after 2012, including a stretch in 2013 where the facility was in Significant Non-Compliance (SNC) for excessive titanium dischargesmichiganpublic.org. This pattern of chronic wastewater violations signaled insufficient process control at the time.

Hazardous waste handling violations have also been documented. Michigan EGLE’s Materials Management Division conducted inspections that identified issues such as improper storage and labeling of hazardous waste, failure to follow waste analysis plans, and unapproved process changes. In fact, by 2020 EGLE had cited 27 violations at the Detroit facilities (mostly Detroit South, but some applicable to Detroit North’s operations as well) ranging from operational infractions to paperwork lapsesbridgedetroit.com. Regulators were initially lenient: in April 2020, EGLE entered into a Consent Order with US Ecology to correct these issues but notably imposed no financial penalties at that timebridgedetroit.com. The emphasis was on compliance schedules and improvements. However, after that order, problems persisted – indicating the fixes were not fully effective.

A particularly troubling case emerged in 2023: during an inspection, EGLE discovered a hazardous waste storage vault had been leaking for an extended period, and US Ecology had not reported itbridgedetroit.com. Evidence suggested the leak (containing potential contaminants) went unnoticed for up to five years despite regular inspectionsbridgedetroit.com wdet.org. This raised alarms that soil and possibly groundwater under the site could have been impacted. (The leaking structure was at Detroit South, but any contamination could migrate – Detroit North and South are in the same industrial area.) The company was required to perform soil and groundwater testing; fortunately, no off-site groundwater impact was ultimately found from that particular leak, according to Republic Servicesbridgedetroit.com. Still, the failure to detect and report a hazardous leak for years underscored serious lapses in monitoring. BridgeDetroit reported this unreported leak as the 41st environmental infraction in less than a decade for US Ecology’s Detroit operationswdet.org bridgedetroit.com.

By mid-2023, EGLE officials – under increasing community pressure – toughened their stance. In July 2024, the state announced a new Consent Order addressing five major violations (2021–2023) at US Ecology’s Detroit sitesbridgedetroit.com. These included the improper hazardous waste handling procedures, the vault leak, an unreported fire, and unauthorized facility changesbridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. This time, penalties were levied: approximately $58,000 in fines payable to the state, and an additional $927,000 to fund community environmental projects – together nearly a $1 million enforcement actionbridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. EGLE acknowledged that its 2020 slap-on-the-wrist approach had failed, noting that after the no-fine order, the company racked up 14 more violations and even an odor fine (a token $2,000) by 2023bridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. The 2024 order not only penalized US Ecology but mandated physical improvements: the company had to install a state-of-the-art above-ground tank system to replace old vaults, add groundwater monitoring wells, and improve waste screening and handling proceduresbridgedetroit.com. Republic Services stated it had “worked diligently to bring this recently acquired facility up to our high operating standards”, indicating the new ownership was implementing capital upgrades as wellbridgedetroit.com.

From a federal perspective, it’s worth noting that EPA Region 5 has also been involved in enforcement. In 2018, EPA investigated Clean Air Act compliance at a similar Detroit waste facility (Clean Earth/Petro Chem) and cited heavy air pollution violations. While US Ecology Detroit North itself did not appear to have a recent EPA federal case in the 2010s, the pattern of non-compliance contributed to EPA and Department of Justice attention on hazardous waste operators in Detroit. Additionally, EPA granted petitions in 2022–2023 to consider civil rights complaints (under Title VI) related to EGLE’s permitting of US Ecology – effectively bringing federal oversight into the state’s process (this is discussed under Environmental Justice).

Summary: In the last 10 years, US Ecology’s Detroit North facility had a troubled compliance history: hundreds of pretreatment discharge violations in the early 2010s, numerous state hazardous waste violations, and slow response to correcting problems. However, after intense scrutiny, the facility is now under a stringent consent order with required improvements and monitoring. EGLE has signaled that continued operation is contingent on meeting these upgraded standardsbridgedetroit.com.

Air Quality and Odor Issues

Air emissions and nuisance odors have been a persistent community complaint around the Detroit North (and South) facilities. Neighbors have reported foul smells described as “rotting fish” or “bleach” wafting through the area at night and on warm dayswdet.org. These odors are indicative of volatile chemicals – possibly solvent fumes or hydrogen sulfide from waste streams – escaping into the air. While US Ecology does not have a large incinerator or smokestack, even tanks and trucks can emit odors if not perfectly sealed. The facility at one point was suspected as a source of a “chemical smell” that residents thought came from a nearby incinerator; even after Detroit’s municipal trash incinerator (several miles away) shut down in 2019, the odors in Poletown lingered, suggesting local industry like US Ecology was responsiblewdet.org.

Michigan’s air quality inspectors (EGLE Air Division) have conducted regular checks in response to complaints. In September 2025, EGLE issued a Violation Notice to US Ecology for “persistent and objectionable odors of moderate to strong intensity” impacting residential areas downwind. This notice notably was issued the same day as a public hearing on the facility – underscoring that even as the company sought license renewals, it was still violating odor regulations. Residents have long attested that “it’s hard for us to come outside when you have all these different smells… it does affect our breathing”, as one local put it at the 2025 hearingplanetdetroit.org.

Earlier enforcement of odors was minimal. Under the 2020 consent agreement, if US Ecology had ongoing odor problems, EGLE could fine them, but rarely did. Indeed, BridgeDetroit found the company was fined only $2,000 total for dozens of odor violations over the past decadebridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. From 2013 to 2023, there were frequent odor complaints and some documented violations for exceeding State Rule 901 (Michigan’s odor nuisance rule), yet EGLE often chose to require corrective plans rather than punish financially. This lax approach drew heavy criticism from residents and environmental law advocates: “Two thousand dollars is such a slap on the wrist… they fined them for 2 out of 41 violations – that’s infuriating” said Melissa Sargent, a neighbor and activist, highlighting the lack of robust enforcement on air issuesbridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com.

Cause of odors: Investigations and the company’s reporting indicate that odors likely come from leaking pressure relief valves, tank vents, and during drum handling operations – essentially fugitive emissions of volatile organic compounds and possibly sulfur compounds. For example, EGLE required US Ecology to improve its odor control planand install better vapor controls on tanks and trucks as part of compliance (similar to issues found at the Clean Earth facility). Another source of fumes can be the solidification process if odorous wastes (like oily sludges or contaminated soils) are being mixed – this can release smells if not enclosed. US Ecology did operate a thermal oxidizer (incinerator) unit on site in the past for certain wastes, but according to reports that unit ceased operation by 2019wdet.org. Still, neighbors continued to detect chemical odors, implying leaks in the waste handling system were unresolved for years.

Ambient Air Monitoring: Given community concerns, one major outcome of the 2023 Title VI civil rights settlement (see next section) is that air pollution monitors are being installed around US Ecology Detroit Northbridgemi.com. Three monitoring stations will measure pollutants in real-time, with data made public, to detect any emissions escaping the facilitybridgemi.com. EGLE also required (in the 2024 order) that US Ecology fund or implement enhanced air filtration for nearby homes and a vegetative buffer if feasiblebridgedetroit.com. These measures acknowledge that even low-level, intermittent emissions can impact quality of life in the overburdened neighborhood.

Notably, Detroit’s overall air quality challenges amplify the impact of any single polluter: the city ranks among the worst in the nation for smog and particulate matter due to industry and traffic, and it fails to meet some federal air standards. Residents around Detroit North often suffer from asthma, COPD, and other respiratory issues, which they attribute in part to the cumulative air pollution (odors and chemicals from multiple facilities). Regulators are now, for the first time, considering these cumulative impacts when reissuing permits – a direct result of community pressure.

In summary, air and odor violations at US Ecology Detroit have been a chronic issue, historically met with insufficient enforcement. Only recently are more robust controls and monitoring being put in place. The company’s ability to eliminate nuisance odors is a key test of its commitment to operating “safely and responsibly” under Republic’s ownershipbridgedetroit.com. Continued odors or vapor releases not only violate regulations but erode community trust.

Worker Safety and OSHA Incidents

Hazardous waste operations carry inherent risks for workers, and Detroit North has seen occupational safety incidents. While no known worker fatalities occurred at the Detroit facility in the past decade, there have been serious injuries and close calls:

Chemical Burn Accident (2019): On July 11, 2019, a worker at US Ecology Detroit South was badly injured in a chemical handling accident. The employee was driving a forklift (PIT) moving a 55-gallon drum of acetic acid when the forklift’s wheel fell into a floor holeosha.gov. The jolt caused the drum to tumble off the pallet and rupture, spilling concentrated acid. The worker attempted to upright the leaking drum but slipped, falling into the pool of acid. He sustained severe second-degree chemical burns on his legs and lower body and had to be hospitalizedosha.gov osha.gov. An OSHA inspection followed (Inspection #1420602) and likely cited the company for unsafe floor conditions (the floor hole) and inadequate hazard controls. This incident highlights safety issues such as facility maintenance (e.g. potholes in forklift paths) and emergency response training for spills.
Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure (2016): In April 2016, local media reported a Detroit plant worker was hospitalized after exposure to hydrogen sulfide gasdetroitnews.com. While the report did not name the facility, the description matches an incident at or near the US Ecology site (hydrogen sulfide is a byproduct of treating sulfur-bearing wastes and was known to cause odor issues there). The worker survived, but such an event underscores the importance of gas detection systems and personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling odorous, toxic chemicals.
Fire Incident: EGLE’s 2024 consent order references a fire at the facility as one of the violations addressedbridgedetroit.com. Details were not publicly given, but it likely involved a small fire in a waste storage area or equipment (hazardous waste fires can occur from improper mixing of reactive chemicals or ignition of flammable solvent vapors). The fire was significant enough to be cited, suggesting emergency response was triggered. Fortunately, no injuries from that event were reported. US Ecology had to review and improve its safety and notification procedures after the fire.
National Incidents: It’s relevant to note that US Ecology, as a company, has had serious accidents at other sites. In November 2018, an explosion at a US Ecology waste treatment site in Grand View, Idaho killed one worker and injured threeplanetdetroit.org. The cause was a “non-conforming waste” chemical reaction – essentially a disastrous mix of incompatible hazardous materialsplanetdetroit.org. While this did not occur in Detroit, it served as a grim reminder of the stakes involved in mismanaging hazardous waste. The Idaho incident led to OSHA penalties and reinforced industry-wide the need for stringent waste characterization and handling protocols. Detroit’s operations handle some similar wastes (e.g. reactive chemicals, flammables), so workers and regulators remain vigilant to prevent such tragedies locally.

OSHA Enforcement: Michigan is a state-plan state (MIOSHA), and MIOSHA records for US Ecology show inspections resulting in citations. The 2019 forklift accident, for example, likely resulted in violations for failing to secure floor openings and perhaps inadequate training (the OSHA accident report hints at “misjudgment of hazardous situation” and PPE issues)osha.gov. Any serious injury triggers a MIOSHA investigation. Additionally, MIOSHA may have inspected Detroit North during routine visits or in response to complaints, issuing citations for things like respiratory protection, chemical storage, or recordkeeping if found deficient. These records are not always public, but no multi-fatality or large-scale worker enforcement case was reported at Detroit North in the past 10 years.

Under Republic Services, there is emphasis on safety culture – their statement in 2024 noted working diligently to “bring [the] facility up to our high operating standards”bridgedetroit.com. The true test will be a sustained period with zeroserious injuries, robust hazard communication, and emergency drills that satisfy both workers and the surrounding community (who worry how an on-site accident, like a chemical release or fire, might affect them).

Conclusion of Violations: The compliance history of US Ecology Detroit North (and South) from 2014–2024 reveals systemic issues that took years to address. Frequent violations of environmental regulations (with relatively light penalties initially) allowed problems to fester, but community advocacy ultimately forced a stronger enforcement posture by 2023–2024. Going forward, the facility is operating under a microscope: state and federal agencies, as well as local residents, are monitoring its compliance with air, water, and safety requirements more closely than ever.

Environmental Justice Indicators and Community Health Impact

The story of US Ecology Detroit North cannot be separated from the people living nearby. The facility is located in a community that bears a disproportionate pollution burden and has become a focal point in Michigan’s environmental justice (EJ) efforts. Key indicators – from demographics to health outcomes – illustrate why regulators and activists alike have raised EJ concerns about this site.

Demographics: The neighborhood around Detroit North (and South) is predominantly a community of color and of low-income status. The area east of Hamtramck and in northeast Detroit is home to long-time African-American residents and a large population of immigrant families (especially of Middle Eastern and South Asian origin, including Yemeni and Bangladeshi Americans)bridgemi.com bridgemi.com. According to the civil rights complaint filed in 2020, the community within a 1- to 3-mile radius of the facility is roughly 65% people of color, far above the Michigan state average of ~25%bridgemi.com. Many households speak Arabic, Bengali, or other languages, and a significant number are classified as Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Notably, about 10,000 people live within one mile of the US Ecology North site, a large number for a hazardous facility’s impact zonemichiganpublic.org. Socioeconomically, the area has high poverty rates and lower access to resources – factors that heighten vulnerability to environmental harm.

Pollution Burden: The community surrounding Detroit North is already stressed by multiple sources of pollution. Within a short distance are automotive plants (with paint emissions), metal scrapyards (with noise/dust), a steel mill, trucking depots (diesel exhaust), and until recently, one of the nation’s largest trash incinerators (which, prior to its 2019 closure, violated air rules hundreds of times)bridgedetroit.com. Residents live with a “cumulative impact” – meaning even if each facility individually meets limits, the combined air, water, and soil pollution adds up to an unhealthy environment. For example, EJScreen (EPA’s screening tool) likely shows this tract in the 90th+ percentile for diesel particulate matter, air toxics cancer risk, and hazardous waste proximity in Michigan. A Planet Detroit analysis noted local residents endure odors, dust, and emissions not just from US Ecology but also from neighbors like Flex-N-Gate (an auto supplier) and trucking firmsplanetdetroit.org. Truck traffic for industrial operations is significant on local streets; US Ecology’s expansion initially raised concern about increased hazmat truck trips, though the company argued it constitutes under 10% of area truck trafficplanetdetroit.org.

Health Outcomes: Decades of pollution and disinvestment have manifested in poor health statistics. Detroit as a whole faces an asthma crisis, and this area is no exception. Asthma rates in the 48211 ZIP code and nearby areas are among the highest in Michigan. In fact, in 2023 the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranked Detroit as the #1 “Asthma Capital” in the U.S. for 2025, due to its extremely high asthma prevalence, emergency room visit rates, and asthma-related mortalityaafa.org aafa.org. The city’s asthma hospitalization rate for children is almost three times the state average, and adults in Detroit die from asthma at about triple the state ratemichigan.gov. Residents near the US Ecology site frequently report respiratory issues: parents describe children with chronic asthma attacks, seniors suffer from COPD flare-ups, and many link their illnesses to the bad air quality. Cancer risk is also a concern – the lifetime risk of cancer from air toxics in parts of Detroit is significantly higher than in suburban areas, partly due to emissions of benzene, formaldehyde, and other pollutants. While it’s hard to pin specific cases on one facility, the perceived impact of US Ecology (with its history of chemical releases and odors) weighs heavily on the community’s sense of safety.

EJ Screen Scores: In response to the civil rights complaint, EGLE agreed to use screening tools to formally evaluate this disparity. EPA’s EJScreen and the new MiEJScreen combine data on demographics and environmental indicators. We can anticipate that the census tract around Detroit North ranks high (worst) on indices like “Particulate Matter (PM2.5) EJ Index,” “NATA Air Toxics Cancer Risk EJ Index,” “Hazardous Waste Proximity EJ Index,” and “Traffic Proximity EJ Index.” The MiEJScreen overall score for this area is likely in the top decile statewide, meaning it’s among Michigan’s most overburdened communities. This was central to the Title VI complaint’s argument: that permitting a hazardous waste expansion here, without extra mitigations, amounted to racial and socioeconomic inequitybridgemi.com.

Civil Rights Complaint and Settlement: In 2020, the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, Sierra Club, and Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition filed a Title VI civil rights complaint alleging that Michigan EGLE’s approval of US Ecology North’s expansion discriminated against residents on the basis of race and national originbridgemi.com. They pointed to the state’s own data showing hazardous waste facilities in Michigan are overwhelmingly concentrated in minority communities (6 of the state’s 8 commercial hazardous waste sites are in Wayne County, which is majority-minority)bridgemi.com. They also highlighted procedural issues – e.g. EGLE’s failure to provide adequate translation at early public meetings, effectively excluding many Bengali/Arabic speaking neighbors from the processplanetdetroit.org planetdetroit.org. This complaint led to negotiations and, in January 2023, a groundbreaking settlement agreement.

Under the settlement (finalized mid-2023), EGLE committed to several first-ever actions in Michiganbridgemi.com bridgemi.com:

Cumulative Impact Analysis: EGLE must consider cumulative pollution impacts and EJ metrics when reviewing hazardous waste licensesbridgemi.com. This means looking beyond the facility’s own emissions to factor in background pollution and health vulnerabilities. If a proposed license or renewal would lead to an “unlawful impact on human health or the environment” in an overburdened area, EGLE is now obliged to deny or modify itbridgemi.com. While “unlawful impact” is somewhat undefined, the intent is to prevent adding burden to communities already suffering from high pollutionbridgemi.com. This is a major policy shift; Michigan had not previously integrated cumulative impacts into permitting, unlike states such as New Jersey or Californiabridgemi.com.
Air Monitoring and Public Data: The state must install and maintain three air quality monitors around US Ecology Detroit North and make the results publicly accessible in real timebridgemi.com. This directly responds to community fears about undisclosed emissions. The monitors will likely track volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, and perhaps specific chemicals like benzene or hydrogen sulfide. Continuous monitoring creates accountability – if spikes in pollution are detected, the company and regulators will be pressured to act swiftly.
Community Health Initiatives: The settlement calls for developing community health improvement strategies for Northeast Detroit, in collaboration with residentsbridgemi.com. This could include health studies, increased health services (like mobile asthma clinics or air filter distribution), and further mitigation projects. Essentially, it acknowledges that past pollution has harmed public health and tries to provide remedies.
Enhanced Public Participation: EGLE agreed to improve language access (providing interpreters and translated materials in Arabic, Bengali, and other needed languages at all future meetings)bridgemi.com. It also agreed to earlier and more frequent community engagement during permit reviews, so residents aren’t “left in the dark.” For instance, when the Detroit South facility’s renewal came up in 2025, notices were issued in English, Bengali, and Arabic, and translators were on hand at hearingsmichigan.gov michigan.gov. Training staff on cultural competency and holding meetings at accessible times/formats were also emphasized.
Permit Decision Criteria: Importantly, EGLE must now deny a license or renewal if the cumulative impact analysis finds it would violate civil rights law (by disproportionately hurting a protected community)bridgemi.com. This doesn’t automatically shut down existing sites, but it sets a precedent that could limit expansions or require added safeguards. Advocates view this as a tool to ensure “no further harm” to EJ communities, though they remain watchful that EGLE actually enforces itbridgemi.com.

For the residents near US Ecology, these changes are seen as a victory years in the making. One local leader, Nick Leonard of GLELC, called the settlement “the foundation for something really strong… If we want a more environmentally just future, we have to continue our work”bridgemi.com. State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (who represents Hamtramck and surrounds) also celebrated the agreement, noting it’s the first time state regulators in Michigan formally acknowledged and addressed cumulative pollution and language access in a permit contextbridgemi.com bridgemi.com.

Current EJ Status: As of 2024, Detroit North’s new hazardous waste operating license will be one of the first test cases under these EJ-centered conditions. EGLE’s Materials Management Division must apply the EJScreen and MiEJScreen data before finalizing the license. Given what is known – high asthma rates, high minority population, numerous nearby polluters – it is expected that additional conditions will be attached to the license (or would have been, had the 2023 consent order not already imposed many). The facility is likely required to maintain the ambient air monitors, adhere to stricter odor controls, and possibly limit certain particularly risky wastes unless further precautions are in place. Community groups continue to watchdog the process: in late 2024 and 2025, residents have been attending public meetings, “rejecting pollution and waste” in their neighborhood and insisting on their right to clean air and water.

In summary, the Environmental Justice context around US Ecology Detroit North underscores that this is not just an industrial issue but a civil rights and public health issue. The facility’s presence and past practices contributed (in combination with others) to a legacy of environmental inequity in Poletown East. The positive news is that community activism led to tangible changes: new policies, monitoring, and investments aimed at relief. The challenge ahead will be ensuring these measures are fully implemented and actually improve conditions on the ground – so that a neighborhood once considered a “dumping ground” can become a healthier place to live.

Community Engagement, Media Coverage, and Grassroots Advocacy

The narrative of US Ecology Detroit North over the last decade has been profoundly shaped by community engagement and activism. Residents, local leaders, and environmental groups have refused to remain silent in the face of pollution, and their advocacy has driven reforms. Likewise, extensive media coverage and transparency efforts have kept the issue in the public eye, empowering more citizens to get involved. This section highlights how the community’s voice influenced outcomes.

Opposition to Expansion: When news spread around 2015 that US Ecology was seeking to greatly expand its Detroit North facility, it ignited a coalition of opponents. Neighborhood residents, activists, and some Detroit lawmakers organized to “fight U.S. Ecology’s expansion.” They held town halls, protested at the site and in Lansing, and formed groups like the Coalition to Oppose the US Ecology Expansion (which maintained a “Stop US Ecology” website and petition)coalitionstopuse.weebly.com michiganpublic.org. State Representative Isaac Robinson (D-Detroit), before his untimely death in 2020, was a vocal champion for the community’s cause. He publicized the facility’s “history of environmental violations” and warned that expanding it would bring “even more hazardous waste from across Michigan and other states” into the citymichiganpublic.org michiganpublic.org. Rep. Robinson and others even revealed that US Ecology was storing PFAS-laden foam and low-level radioactive frack waste on Georgia Street – facts that many in the community had not been informed of until activists dug inmichiganpublic.org. This transparency galvanized residents who felt they had been kept unaware of what was being handled in their backyard.

Another local politician, State Rep. Cynthia Johnson, spoke at rallies saying Detroit “already has too many environmental hazards… We’re just saying we’re tired of it. It’s got to stop.”michiganpublic.org Detroit City Council members, such as Raquel Castañeda-López and later Gabriela Santiago-Romero, also expressed concerns. The Detroit City Council unanimously passed a resolution in 2019 opposing the expansion, citing environmental justice issues (though the city’s power was limited since licensing is state-controlled). Community members organized themselves through churches, block clubs, and environmental justice groups, often using social media and local radio to spread the word about public comment periods and protest events.

Public Hearings and Participation: The permitting process involved multiple public meetings (in 2015, 2018, and 2019) for the Detroit North expansion. Turnout grew over time as awareness increased. Notably, a 2018 hearing had around 70 local residents show up – many requiring translation in Bengali or Arabicmichigan.gov. EGLE did eventually provide translators at that meeting (after being pressured by GLELC), but as mentioned earlier, it may not have been sufficientplanetdetroit.org. Frustration was evident: residents asked tough questions about why their area had to accept more waste and why the state wasn’t accounting for health impacts. According to Planet Detroit, some attendees asked “Who wants to live in a place that’s massively polluted?” while imploring EGLE to reconsider the licenseplanetdetroit.org. Despite this outcry, EGLE approved the expansion in January 2020, a decision that disheartened many but also steeled them to continue the fight via the civil rights complaint and other avenuescoalitionstopuse.weebly.com.

Media and Documenters: Local journalism played a critical role in validating and broadcasting the community’s concerns. BridgeDetroit and Planet Detroit (nonprofit news organizations) consistently reported on developments, from the 2016 Free Press findings to the 2024 consent order. Reporters like Jena Brooker and Ethan Bakuli documented residents’ experiences – such as families who “made several complaints about odors” that affected their daily lifebridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. These stories put a human face on the regulatory infractions, making it harder for agencies to dismiss them as mere numbers. Michigan Radio (NPR) ran segments on the expansion, including a 17-minute Stateside program in 2018 where lawyers and residents discussed environmental racism and the lack of accessible hearingsmichiganpublic.org michiganpublic.org. Such coverage reached a broader Michigan audience, building sympathy and political will beyond Detroit.

Grassroots documentation efforts also emerged. The Detroit Documenters program (which trains citizens to record public meetings) had volunteers attend EGLE hearings and Detroit City Council sessions related to US Ecology. They took notes and published summaries, ensuring an accurate public record. In one 2024 council meeting, multiple Detroiters testified, urging the city to oppose any license extensions and “end decades of environmental injustice” in their neighborhoods. These testimonies, archived by Documenters and reported by Outlier Media, capture the emotional toll and exhaustion of residents who have had to organize for their basic right to a clean environment.

Coalition Building: Over time, various groups coalesced into the Detroit-Hamtramck Coalition for Advancing Healthy Environments (DHCAE) – a multi-stakeholder alliance of residents, activists, and even some local officials. This coalition became a key interlocutor with both EGLE and US Ecology. By 2023, EGLE officials were meeting with the coalition to update them on enforcement progress. And notably, US Ecology’s local management began meeting regularly with the coalition as wellbridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. This led to discussions of community benefit projects: for example, DHCAE suggested and US Ecology agreed to consider installing a green buffer (trees or shrubs) around the facility’s perimeter to help filter air and improve aestheticsbridgedetroit.com. They also discussed providing in-home HEPA air filters for nearby residents, funding home repairs (to better seal homes against pollution), and supporting local health initiativesbridgedetroit.com. As part of the July 2024 consent order, US Ecology was required to propose nearly $1 million in such projects – and the coalition was invited to help shape how that money is spentbridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. This represents a shift from adversarial to a somewhat collaborative approach, though advocates remain cautious, recognizing that community projects are not a substitute for compliance. Still, it is a positive sign that the company is at the table with community representatives, working on mitigating some impacts.

Ongoing Developments (2024–2025): The story is still unfolding. In August–September 2025, EGLE held public meetings on the renewal of Detroit South’s license, and once again, residents voiced strong opposition, citing ongoing odor issues and trust deficitsplanetdetroit.org. At a September 4, 2025 hearing, community members were informed of the new odor violation issued that day, which many took as proof of US Ecology’s continued problemsplanetdetroit.org. Activists like Adam Verville, who lives near the plant, have become local spokespeople after years of lodging complaints. Media reports showed Verville speaking at the hearing about how he checks the wind direction before bike rides to avoid the facility’s fumesplanetdetroit.org. Such anecdotes illustrate that, despite some improvements, living next to a hazardous waste facility remains a daily reality to navigate.

Going forward, community advocacy groups are keeping pressure on regulators to fully enforce the new EJ-driven policies. They are also monitoring Republic Services’ performance as the new owner – there is hope that Republic’s resources and reputation to protect (as a publicly traded company) might lead to better community relations. However, residents have made it clear that their vigilance will not wane. As one long-time activist, Rev. Joan Ross, said, “We’ve been breathing this for years. We’re not going to stop until our neighborhood’s air and water are safe”. This sentiment is echoed across Detroit’s EJ movements, from the Marathon Oil refinery in southwest Detroit to US Ecology in east Poletown. They see it as one connected fight against the pattern of placing polluting industries in communities of color and poverty.

In summary, community engagement and grassroots action were instrumental in bringing US Ecology Detroit North’s issues to light and effecting change. Public pressure led to stronger enforcement, a precedent-setting civil rights settlement, and increased transparency (e.g. air monitoring data). The case has become a model for community-driven environmental advocacy, showing that even against large companies and bureaucracies, organized residents can advance public health and justice. The ongoing challenge will be maintaining this engagement and ensuring that commitments on paper lead to real-world improvements – cleaner air, safer operations, and a genuinely empowered community.

US Ecology’s National Profile and Industry Standing

To put the Detroit North facility in context, it’s useful to understand US Ecology, Inc.’s national presence and reputation in the hazardous waste industry. Over the past decade, US Ecology grew from a niche waste management firm into one of the largest players in North America’s environmental services sector – before being absorbed by Republic Services in 2022. Here’s an overview of the company’s profile:

Scale of Operations: Prior to the Republic merger, US Ecology (headquartered in Boise, Idaho) operated an extensive network of facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. According to company reports circa 2021, US Ecology’s North American assets included 9 specialized waste landfills (5 of which were RCRA hazardous waste landfills), 16 treatment and storage facilities (TSDFs) like the Detroit sites, 7 wastewater treatment plants, and dozens of field service locations for emergency response and industrial cleaningwastedive.com wastedive.com. This made US Ecology the largest hazardous waste landfill operator in the nation by volumewastedive.com. Only a few other firms – e.g. Clean Harbors, Waste Management (WM) – are in the same tier for hazardous waste. (WM is larger overall but has fewer haz-waste specific facilities; Clean Harbors is a direct competitor in both the service and disposal space.)
Services Offered: US Ecology built a reputation on handling “difficult” wastes. Its services span treatment, disposal, recycling, and emergency cleanup of hazardous, non-hazardous, and radioactive wasteswastedive.com. This includes things like PCB destruction, industrial wastewater treatment (like Detroit North), contaminated soil remediation, chemical pack-outs, and even low-level radioactive waste disposal. They also have a large field services division for things like spill response (cleanup of chemical spills, train derailments, etc.) and on-site factory services. For instance, when the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment (2023) occurred, some of the toxic waste water was shipped to a US Ecology injection well in Texas and to a US Ecology-affiliated landfill in Michigan – underscoring the company’s role in national environmental emergenciesmichiganinjurylawyerblog.com. US Ecology also had a smaller segment dealing with waste from the oil and gas industry, such as treating fracking fluids (which ties in with the TENORM issue in Detroit)wastedive.com.
Growth Through Acquisitions: US Ecology’s expansion was fueled by buying other companies. Notable acquisitions:
- Dynecol (Detroit North) in 2012wastedive.com.
- EQ – Environmental Quality Co. in 2014 for $465 millionwasteinfo.com, which included EQ’s facilities in Michigan (Detroit South, Wayne Disposal landfill, and others in Ohio and South Carolina).
- Stablex in 2010 (a major hazardous waste treatment facility in Quebec, Canada)wastedive.com.
- NRC (National Response Corporation) Group in 2018–2019 for ~$966 millionwastedive.com. NRC brought in over 50 service sites, strengthening US Ecology’s emergency response and industrial services in the Gulf Coast and East Coast.
- Hazmat Inc. / Envirite (years prior) – specialized waste recyclers.
- A string of smaller hazardous waste transporters and processors in various regions.
Each acquisition expanded US Ecology’s geographic reach and capabilities, making it a one-stop shop for clients with complex waste streams. However, rapid growth also meant inheriting some facilities with checkered records (as seen with Detroit) and integrating different corporate cultures.
Reputation and Compliance: Within the industry, US Ecology has been regarded as a technically proficient operator, but not without controversies. The Idaho explosion in 2018 was a black mark, raising questions about safety practicesplanetdetroit.org. The company’s Belleville, Michigan (Wayne Disposal) landfill has faced community pushback over accepting out-of-state hazardous wastes (e.g. PCB soil, and recently, soil from the Ohio derailment). Environmental groups have often warily monitored US Ecology projects – for example, a plan to import radioactive waste from foreign sources to a US Ecology site in Idaho drew protests in the 2010s. That said, US Ecology also prided itself on compliance in its investor materials, claiming a strong track record and emphasizing that environmental services is an industry with “high barriers to entry and high proportion of recurring revenue”wastedive.com. In other words, once a company like US Ecology has the needed permits and infrastructure, it has a stable business but also heavy responsibility. The mention that these sites have “high barriers to entry” acknowledges that few new hazardous waste facilities are ever sited (largely due to public opposition), so companies must carefully maintain the ones they have.
Republic Services Merger: When Republic Services, a $10+ billion waste conglomerate (second-largest waste company in the U.S.), acquired US Ecology in May 2022, it signaled a major industry shiftwastedive.com. Republic integrated US Ecology’s operations into its new “Environmental Solutions” division, aiming to offer existing Republic customers (municipalities, businesses) a full suite of services including hazardous waste disposal. For Detroit, this means the Detroit North and South facilities, as well as the Belleville haz-waste landfill, are now under Republic’s corporate umbrellamichigan.gov. Republic has deeper pockets and more stringent corporate oversight mechanisms (it’s used to managing large landfills and collection fleets under public scrutiny). In a statement about the Detroit consent order, Republic emphasized it was bringing the sites up to “high operating standards” and appreciated stakeholder inputbridgedetroit.com. It is likely Republic will invest in infrastructure upgrades (as it did with the new tank system in 2023) and possibly personnel training to improve compliance. From a community perspective, Republic’s involvement could be a double-edged sword: on one hand, a big company may be more responsive to public image concerns; on the other, Republic will seek to maximize return on its $2.2B investment, which might mean pushing volumes through these facilities (within legal limits) to boost revenue.
Industry Standing: With US Ecology integrated, Republic Services now competes more directly with Clean Harbors (the largest hazardous waste services company, known for its incinerators and cleaners) and Heritage Environmental in the hazardous waste niche. Republic’s entry via US Ecology underscores how lucrative the hazardous/specialty waste sector has become. It also potentially elevates the EHS (Environment, Health, Safety) standards, since Republic has a broader corporate EHS program covering tens of thousands of employees. For example, Republic might introduce new technologies like continuous emissions monitoring, or stricter internal audits at the Detroit plants, to reduce violations – as it would not want the liability or bad press.

In conclusion, US Ecology Detroit North is one node in a much larger network of waste management operations. The facility’s challenges with compliance and community relations are not unique – many hazardous waste sites around the country face similar issues – but the eyes of regulators nationwide are on Michigan now because of the precedent-setting EJ complaint outcome. If Detroit North can transform into a model of safer operation and good neighbor relations, it could serve as a template for Republic Services at its other acquired sites. Conversely, if problems persist, it will reinforce calls for tighter industry-wide regulations.

From the community advocacy angle, Detroit North’s saga has contributed to broader policy discussions: Michigan legislators have introduced bills to require cumulative impact assessments for air permits, citing Detroit’s situationplanetdetroit.org. The facility thus has a footprint beyond its fences – influencing law, regulation, and corporate practice far afield.

Sources: This report drew on a range of documents and coverage, including the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) facility files and enforcement orders, U.S. EPA data, OSHA records, news reports from BridgeDetroit, Planet Detroit, Detroit Free Press, Michigan Radio (NPR), and statements from community organizations. Notable references include EGLE’s Detroit North license summarymichigan.gov michigan.gov, the 2018/2020 media investigations of violationsmichiganpublic.org michiganpublic.org, the 2023 civil rights settlement detailsbridgemi.com bridgemi.com, and coverage of the 2024 consent order and community benefitsbridgedetroit.com bridgedetroit.com. These and other citations are provided throughout the report for transparency and verification. The goal is to present a fact-based account that empowers residents, stakeholders, and decision-makers with a clear understanding of US Ecology Detroit North’s past ten years and the path forward for environmental accountability.