Washington, D.C. – Congressman John D. Dingell, D-Mich., today requested that Rep. Paul Gillmor, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, markup H.R. 1213, the "Solid Waste Transportation Act," that Dingell introduced earlier this year to halt the flow of unwanted garbage into Michigan’s landfills.

"For at least a decade, states across the Nation have searched in vain for a constitutional means to restrict shipments of waste from other states and countries; costly and unproductive litigation has been the result," Dingell said. "Only Federal legislation can accomplish the task."

In just five years, from 1993 to 1998, interstate waste shipments across the nation nearly doubled from 14.5 million tons to 28.4 million tons. Imports of garbage into Michigan increased by approximately one million tons from 1999 (2.1 million) to 2000 (3.1 million in 2000). Imports now represent almost 19 percent of the waste disposal in Michigan, up from 12 percent in 1999. A significant percentage of this increase comes from the importation of Canadian waste.

Only through an act of Congress can states and localities gain the authority to control interstate waste shipments. The Solid Waste Interstate Transportation Act of 2001 does not give states outright authority to prohibit all out-of-state trash, but rather provides reasonable tools enabling state and local governments to responsibly maintain disposal capacity for their own waste. Among other tools, local governments will be authorized to apply a presumptive ban to out-of-state municipal solid waste unless the landfill or incinerator obtains the agreement of the affected local government. State governments, when issuing permits for waste facilities, will have the authority to place a cap on out-of-state waste received annually. Additionally, states and affected local governments may limit the amount of out-of-state waste received at each landfill or incinerator to levels not to exceed calendar year 1993.

Dingell also requested the authority to ban foreign imports as provided in H.R. 1927, sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., be considered by the Subcommittee if it determines that such authority is consistent with the national treatment requirements of the North American Free Trade Agreement. In the year 2000, 45 percent of Michigan imports were from Canada, and Canadian imports are expected to grow as Toronto appears intent on sending all of its trash to Michigan.

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