Get answers to frequently asked questions below.
What is a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfill?
A municipal solid waste landfill, also known as a Type II or MSW landfill, is a highly-engineered facility which is regulated by both federal and state regulations. There are strict permit and regulatory conditions on the types of solid waste that can be accepted, including nonhazardous household, commercial and industrial waste. In Michigan, MSW landfills are regulated under Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) laws and operate under permits issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Who owns and operates the Arbor Hills Landfill?
Arbor Hills Landfill is owned by Arbor Hills Landfill, Inc., a GFL Environmental company since October 2020. GFL Environmental Inc. is a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE. GFL is the fourth largest waste management company in North America and is headquartered in Miami Beach, Florida.
What types of materials are accepted at Arbor Hills?
Type II landfills in Michigan—also known as municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills—accept most non-hazardous solid wastes generated by households, businesses, and industry. This includes general refuse, construction and demolition of debris, and commercial waste.
Generally Acceptable Waste:
- Household Refuse: Kitchen trash, food waste, furniture, mattresses, and appliances
- Commercial & Industrial Waste: Non-hazardous sludge, commercial solid waste, and incinerator ash
- Construction & Demolition (C&D) Debris: Wood, drywall, metal, concrete, and asphalt
Examples of wastes that Arbor Hills Landfill CANNOT accept:
- Hazardous waste – industrial, commercial or household wastes containing dangerous chemicals, including but not limited to flammable liquids, bulk paints, bulk pesticides, etc.
- Limited bulk home appliances or “white goods” containing Freon (for example, refrigerators)
- Bulk liquid wastes
- Bulk tires
- Firearms and explosives, such as fireworks
- Untreated medical waste from healthcare facilities, such as needles, or sharps containers
Where do waste, recyclables, household hazardous waste, and compost at Arbor Hills come from?
95% of waste, recyclables, household hazardous waste, and compost at Arbor Hills Landfill originates in Southeast Michigan, including Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Livingston, and Lenawee Counties.
How is environmental and regulatory compliance monitored?
The landfill operates under permits from EGLE and other local government agencies, including:
- Solid waste permit (including groundwater, surface water, and leachate monitoring)
- Air quality permit
- Stormwater permit
- Sewer discharge
The permits require routine inspections, sampling, and reporting. The landfill employs and engages third-party technical and regulatory experts to help oversee compliance.
Does the landfill have “PFAS” in its waste water?
Yes. All MSW landfills are passive recipients of PFAS containing materials. Many of the typical household items that are disposed of in landfills are made with PFAS. Examples include non-stick cookware, lotion and cosmetics, laundry detergent, carpet, fast food containers, paper plates, and waterproofing products.
The leachate treatment system at Arbor Hills Landfill, Inc. is a highly-engineered processing facility. It utilizes filters and activated carbon to reduce PFAS levels prior to discharging into the local sewer system and Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority wastewater treatment plant.
Does Michigan have excess MSW disposal capacity?
No. The State of Michigan data for Washtenaw County projects that landfill use and capacity needs will continue to increase.
While EGLE’s Report of Solid Waste Landfilled in Michigan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 demonstrates there is approximately 20 years of landfill capacity currently available in the state, it does not specify the locations of available capacity. Without expansion at Arbor Hills Landfill, years of available capacity at the remaining landfills in the Southeast Michigan/Detroit Metro Area will be severely reduced.
Do Washtenaw County and Salem Township need a landfill?
Without Arbor Hills, Washtenaw County waste currently received would need to be transported to other counties, resulting in increased traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and reduced waste capacity in Michigan.
Both Salem Township and Washtenaw County residents benefit from Arbor Hills landfill. Specifically, Arbor Hills Landfill provides:
- $1.3 million in annual host fees to Washtenaw County, which supports recycling and waste diversion programs within the county.
- $3.0 million in annual host fees to Salem Township.
- More than 40 full-time site employees, including union employees from Michigan Local 324 Operating Engineers, as well as several daily subcontracted service personnel.
- Approximately $40 million in total expenditure annually on local goods and services.
Will the proposed landfill expansion be closer to existing residential properties in the area?
No. The proposed expansion includes a planned setback of 1000 feet west of Napier Road, creating a distance of over 2100 feet to the nearest subdivision. The existing landfill is less than 1500 feet from residential neighborhoods.
How is odor and air quality monitored at Arbor Hills?
Odor Control Monitoring: Arbor Hills has 1 mobile air and 6 stationary monitors dedicated to methane detection at the perimeter of the landfill. We also administer twice-daily odor patrols and monthly drone surveillance to ensure environmental compliance and accountability for our neighboring communities.
School Air Monitoring Station: Arbor Hills is the only landfill in Michigan with a school air monitoring station, showcasing our proactive approach to nuisance odor control. This school air monitoring station near Arbor Hills has never registered any issues, confirming that odor control measures are effective.
Air Quality Compliance Record: Arbor Hills has shown significant improvement in air quality since 2020. There have been no air quality violations related to odors since June of 2024.
Did the landfill incur penalties for a history of environmental violations?
Yes. Michigan’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the landfill in 2020 for unresolved air quality violations, which predated the Arbor Hills Landfill, Inc. acquisition of the landfill.
In addition to paying the fines, the new management of Arbor Hills Landfill welcomed this responsibility and actively negotiated the details of the consent judgement, which includes a state-of-the-art monitoring system as well as other projects that benefit the surrounding community.
Now, Arbor Hills meets or exceeds regulatory requirements. For example, the new perimeter monitoring program was the first of its kind in the State. It detects low level H2S and methane emissions that could contribute to odors and is used as a tool for locating potential infrastructure repair needs. The monitors operate non-stop, providing readings on a 15-minute rolling average, which are uploaded to a public website.
Similarly, an H2S monitor has been in operation at the Ridgewood Public School since 2019. The monitor has never returned a reading above background levels for H2S. In 2025, Arbor Hills Landfill voluntarily extended the monitoring agreement for an additional five years.
Is the landfill officially declared a "nuisance" by the State of Michigan?
No. The lawsuit filed by the Attorney General’s office in 2020 cited nuisance odors, but the landfill was never classified as a nuisance.
Scott Miller, EGLE Air Quality Division Supervisor for the Jackson District, discusses the landfill, air quality, and transparency since Arbor Hills purchased the landfill in an interview with David Fair of WEMU News.
Does the landfill receive “hundreds of annual complaints”?
EGLE primarily receives odor complaints via a hotline and website run by a Wayne County opposition group who actively encourages complaints. However, rarely are these complaints substantiated by recorded monitoring events on site at Arbor Hills, nor do they accurately correlate to weather conditions or the number of recordable perimeter monitoring events.
Importantly, since Arbor Hills Landfill, Inc. acquired the landfill in 2020 and implemented protective protocols, odor complaints have drastically reduced.