Detroit residents reject trash incinerator
By
Caleb T. Maupin
Detroit
Published Jun 5, 2008 10:45 PM
The City of Detroit announced May 31 that it had taken the first step in
shutting down the trash disposal system known as the “incinerator”
by notifying the company that operates it that Detroit would not renew its
contract. This device, which currently burns 2,800 tons of household waste a
day, dispersing the smoke to Detroit’s skyline, has been the subject of a
community-based grassroots campaign, whose goal is ending its use.
Those involved in the campaign, including clergy, environmentalists and other
community members, are quick to point out the following fact: The city of
Detroit pays $120 per ton to destroy its trash in the incinerator, whereas the
national average cost for trash disposal is $57 per ton, or less than half what
Detroit spends.
The private companies that have owned the incinerator in the past, as this
device was and still is a corporate, nongovernment-operated facility, include
Phillip Morris, the tobacco giant. Currently the incinerator is the property of
an “investment group.”
It took a fight to win the battle against renewing the incinerator contract.
For years, beginning even before the incinerator was constructed, community
members have voiced their outrage at the notion of burning the city’s
trash for the profit of big business.
Environmental concerns are some of the major grievances against the
incinerator. Community members in the area of the incinerator’s location
say that cancer and asthma rates in their areas are much higher than average.
Almost all people living near the incinerator and poor and working people, most
people of color. An elementary school is only two blocks away.
A May 13 meeting nearly boiled over as Detroiters, meeting at the Unitarian
Universalist church, were furious that they were refused permission to publicly
question a representative of the mayor about any corruption and environmental
destruction associated with the incinerator.
Whether the incinerator is to continue its operations is still not fully
decided. The city administration states that the city now has the option of
buying the incinerator—a decision that reportedly must be made by July
1—and making it the property of the city of Detroit, or using other
methods of disposal.
Among the crowds that demonstrated outside City Hall on May 30, the solution
was clear. “Burning trash has got to go!” they chanted in unison,
sending the city leaders an unmistakable message.
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
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