Dive Brief:
- Proposed legislation in Michigan would halt plans by a firm that wants to perform reclamation activities at Richfield Landfill. Rep. Pam Faris introduced a bill that if made law, will ban reclamation efforts in landfills throughout the state.
- Clarkston, MI-based TerRenova Richfield LLC wants to buy the closed Richfield Landfill and make it a reclamation site. TerRenova partner Andrew Alley said his firm would fix problems with leachate and polluted water at the site, as well as making other improvements. Reclamation efforts salvage recyclables that are buried, such as metal.
- TerRenova also hopes to make Richfield Landfill operational. If permitted, the company will build a water treatment plant at the landfill.
Dive Insight:
TerRenova’s plans for the landfill would involve $6 million in upgrades, and require hiring 100 workers. The plans also would bring to life a dormant site whose prior owners were cited for violations, and who filed for bankruptcy in late 2012.
