The Michigan government released its 2016 Landfill Report last week, which shows steady growth in the number of waste shipments from Ontario to the state’s disposal sites.
The full report, which can be accessed here, found that waste imports into Michigan from Ontario were up 9.8% in 2016. Over a four-year time period, the increase is even larger. Since 2012, waste imported into the state from Ontario has risen by 31% to roughly 2.7 million tonnes.
This uptick includes increased shipments of industrial, commercial, construction and demolition waste (with the latter two categories representing the largest percentage change).
The findings of the Michigan Landfill Report illustrate why it’s crucial for Ontario policymakers to carefully consider the movement of waste between jurisdictions before pursuing new policies and regulations that could have an unintended effect on the market.
Our association is continuing to work with our American counterpart, the National Waste & Recycling Association, to assess what impacts the Trump Administration may have on Canadian-American trade and cross-border shipments. Although we have not identified any immediate concerns, the OWMA is monitoring the situation closely.
New waste shipment numbers for New York and Ohio have not yet been released, but the below table shows the general trends of all waste shipments into the United States from Ontario.
