Hazardous waste injection well facility may be reopened

A potentially disastrous environmental issue Downriver residents have been fighting against for years and thought was dead may be coming back to life.

A meeting will be hosted in Romulus to discuss the Environmental Geo-Technologies, LLC’s (EGT) hazardous waste operating license application to operate the former Environmental Disposal Services (EDS) facility in Romulus. The meeting will take place Tuesday, August 31 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Crown Plaza Hotel at 8000 Merriman Rd.

The deep injection well for hazardous waste uses the method of disposing of hazardous waste by injecting it to the 4,477-foot well that was designed to bury 100 million gallons of liquid waste per year underground, including chemicals like methanol, acetone and ammonia. The project has been around for 20 years when it was first proposed in 1990 and built in 1993.

Since the EDS facility was shut down in 2006, the Detroit Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) has partnered with Greektown’s Dimitrios “Jim” Papas, to operate the facility for the pension fund. Jim Papas’ company, EGT, had been seeking to acquire the necessary permits. Decisions on these matters were postponed when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) terminated the UIC permits for the former EDS facility and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment initiated action to revoke the operating license. Due to a recent lawsuit settlement, operators can now proceed in acquiring the necessary approvals to resume operations.

State Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, has been fighting the well for many years, and he encourages the Downriver community and anyone with a vested interest in the fate of the former EDS facility, to speak out in opposition at the August 31st meeting.

“I encourage residents to attend this meeting to address the fate of this hazardous waste facility and voice their concerns on this potential threat to our community,” he said. “I strongly oppose any efforts to re-open this facility and feel it’s important to unite and form a strong voice against these measures.”

Written comments will be accepted on or before the close of the public meeting and may be submitted at the meeting, emailed to EGT at info@envgeotech.com or mailed to EGT at 28470 Citrin Drive, Romulus, MI 48174.