Congressman John D. Dingell

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Washington, DC - Congressmen John D. Dingell (D-MI15) and Mike Rogers (R-MI08) introduced today the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act, legislation curtailing the importation of solid waste from Canada. This is the same as the legislation that passed the House in the 109th Congress.

Dingell and Rogers are joined in the introduction of this bill by the entire Michigan delegation including Representatives Camp, Conyers, Ehlers, Hoekstra, Kildee, Kilpatrick, Knollenberg, Levin, McCotter, Miller, Stupak, Upton and Walberg — as well as, Reps. Baldwin (D-WI02), Gillmor (R-OH05), and Wynn (D-MD04), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.

“For far too long Canada has been transporting its waste to Michigan, essentially using Michigan as its dumping ground,” Dingell said. “Over the years, the number of Canadian trash shipments to Michigan has risen to more than 410 trucks per day.

“During the last Congress, the House passed HR 2491, the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act. Unfortunately this legislation was not brought to the Senate floor before the 109th Congress adjourned. The citizens of Michigan must be protected from unwanted shipments of foreign trash, action is long overdue. I praise the way the delegation has worked together on this matter.”

Congressman Rogers added: “Michigan’s environment and economy are at risk from the tons of trash coming across the border from Canada. It’s downright un-neighborly for one nation to be throwing its garbage into the backyard of its next door neighbor. It’s time for Congress to help our friends to the north adopt a good neighbor policy and stop this unhealthy and dangerous cross-border dumping of trash.”

If enacted, this legislation would:

• Require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement and enforce the 1986 Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste between the United States and Canada, which would require Canada to notify the U.S. before the shipment of waste to the U.S.
• Require that when Canada notifies the U.S. of a shipment of waste, the EPA give considerable deference to the desire of the state that will receive the waste as to whether to allow the shipment or not.
• Require that EPA also consider the effect of importation on continued support for recycling programs, landfill capacity, air emissions from increased vehicular traffic, road deterioration from increased vehicular traffic, as well as the impact on homeland security, public health and the environment.
• Allow states to enact laws or issue regulations that are consistent with international trade obligations imposing limitations on the receipt and disposal of foreign municipal solid waste until EPA’s final regulations to implement and enforce the Agreement become effective. The state laws could stay in effect even after the EPA’s regulations are in place.