INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTE IMPORTATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - September 06, 2006)
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Mr. CAMP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, as a strong supporter and cosponsor of the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act, I am pleased that the House of Representatives will soon vote on this important bill.
My home State of Michigan continues to be on the receiving end of millions of tons of imports of Canadian trash. According to data from the Congressional Research Service, in 2004 nearly two-thirds of Michigan's total waste imports, about 2.8 million tons, came from the Canadian province of Ontario. In response to this growing problem, H.R. 2491 provides States the authority to enact laws or regulations to limit the transportation and disposal of foreign municipal solid waste. Residents in Michigan have long sought a legally binding and enforceable solution that stops the flow of Canadian trash into the State.
For too many years Michigan has been a dumping ground for waste coming in from Canada. When the city of Toronto closed its landfill in 2002, the city sent its trash to Michigan instead of building a new landfill or transporting it to another Canadian location. Toronto's actions compounded the trash flow problem in Michigan and further incensed the State's residents who consider this issue an environmental concern, a transportation problem, and a public health worry. The State of Michigan and other States should have the authority to protect its citizens. Governments at all levels, Federal, State, and local should have the tools to safeguard residents from potential public health and safety risks. Foreign municipal trash is flooding Michigan's borders with virtually no inspection. Hospital waste and other hazardous waste can, and does, make its way to Michigan. I am a fervent supporter of policies that ensure a free-flow of commerce at the U.S. and Canada border. But, States should have the ability to protect residents from shipments that may pose risks to public health and the environment.
The International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act is the right answer to stopping foreign shipments of municipal waste. While negotiating contracts with landfill operators may sound like a good solution, it does not go far enough. Congressional approval of H.R. 2491 will ensure that States have the authority to prevent foreign waste from crossing our borders. Governors should have control over what enters their state. Such decisions should not be left to private business interests. Importantly too, passage of H.R. 2491 will carry the force of U.S. law.
Instead of clogging Michigan bridges and roads with dump trucks destined for Michigan landfills, it is high time Canada keep its own trash. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2491 and allow States to reject foreign shipments of municipal waste.
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