| February 11, 2003 |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Windsor, Ontario - The Citizens Environment Alliance has joined with nearly two dozen Michigan environmental organizations, community and religious groups in a campaign to reduce the cross-border shipments of trash. The campaign intends to mobilize public support for proposals that include ending subsidies and tightening standards for landfills, boosting recycling and expanding Michigan's bottle bill.
The campaign was launched Monday with two colourful events in Romulus and at the Ambassador Bridge. A website - www.stoptrash.org - has been launched to facilitate public participation.
Michigan's landfills are rapidly filling with out-of-state trash. Canada is a significant source of Michigan's dirty reputation. All of Toronto's municipal waste is shipped to the Carleton Farms landfill in Wayne County while other Ontario municipalities are also shipping their municipal waste to the Pine Tree Acres landfill in Macomb County. Millions of tonnes of waste, including commercial, industrial and hazardous, are now shipped between Ontario and Michigan annually.
"The waste shipments threaten our air and water, undermine environmentally responsible efforts to reduce and manage waste and contribute to terrible traffic congestion problems," said Derek Coronado Research and Policy Coordinator of the CEA.
"The international shipment of waste is the result of the absence of environmentally responsible and sustainable public policy. We need to deal with our waste on this side of the border, not ship our problems to our neighbours," added Coronado.
For more information contact:
Derek Coronado
Research and Policy Coordinator,
Citizens Environment Alliance
(519) 973-1116
Visit the website www.stoptrash.org