Communities neighboring a landfill in Van Buren Township, Michigan, have taken legal action to block the transportation of radioactive soil from the World War II era originating from New York. The lawsuit was filed in Wayne County court after uproar at a town hall meeting where officials expressed surprise over the plans to ship truckloads of the material to the landfill, situated about 25 miles west of Detroit. Elected representatives, including two members of Congress, claimed they were unaware of these arrangements.

The lawsuit emphasizes the need to prevent Wayne County from becoming a dumping ground for various hazardous materials, stating that the Michigan public will not stand for it. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, overseeing the project, indicated that the Michigan site is the closest licensed disposal facility capable of handling the radioactive material. Towns such as Belleville, Romulus, Canton Township, and Van Buren Township are seeking an injunction to stop the deliveries, citing concerns about the readiness of local fire officials to address potential issues at the landfill.

Critics are also calling for an opportunity to provide input on whether Republic Services, the company operating the site, should receive a new state operating license. The waste in question is classified as low-level radioactive residue from the Manhattan Project, a classified government initiative to develop atomic bombs during World War II. The material was featured in the movie “Oppenheimer” released in 2023.

Reports in August indicated that contaminated soil was being transported from Lewiston, New York, with images showing large white bags resembling burritos. Environmental regulators mentioned during a public meeting in September that there was no obligatory notification requirement for the public beforehand. T.R. Wentworth II, the manager of Michigan’s Radiological Protection Section, assured the Detroit Free Press that the material raised no health or safety concerns from the state’s regulatory perspective.