Advocacy News – Sept. 19, 2024
What’s new: A house bill was introduced last week that would prohibit the landfilling of technically enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive material, or TENORM. Tenorm is a material with low levels of radioactivity shown to have little to no public health risk that for many companies involves regular, even everyday waste streams that need to be disposed. House Bill 5923 is expected to be voted on as early as next week by the House of Representatives.
What companies are impacted? Automotive, municipal utilities, wastewater treatment plants, paper mills, and healthcare industries would all be impacted under this legislation — but it is unclear as to the number of industries affected, and the additional costs they would incur.
Why it matters: Michigan has robust rules and regulations covering the handling and disposal of TENORM. Without the ability to landfill TENORM within the state, the material would have to be trucked to states like Ohio or Indiana, but in some cases depending on the material content, may have to go as far away as Utah.
Our take: A patchwork approach to regulating specific materials, as opposed to a better comprehensive approach to material management, is the most appropriate approach to ensure safe and sustainable regulation of waste in the state. It is also unclear as to whether such a prohibition is legal, as it may run in conflict with the Interstate Commerce Clause.
Feedback needed: Share your thoughts on this legislation with Mike Alaimo.