Mlive File Photo. Arbor Hills Landfill, 10690 Six Mile Road in Salem Township.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com
SALEM TWP., MI — Irked residents and some local and state officials are rallying against a proposed expansion of the Arbor Hills landfill.
Around 200 people gathered at Northville High School Monday, Jan. 12 for a community meeting organized by The Conservancy Initiative, a grassroots nonprofit organization opposed to the landfill at 10690 Six Mile Road in Salem Township.
Odors coming from the landfill have led to hundreds of complaints to state environmental officials each year. The landfill has also faced state environmental violations.
Odors regularly bother Kumar Narayanan and Sudha Kumar, who can see the landfill from their home in Northville Township.
“It comes and goes. It depends on the time of day sometimes,” Narayanan said. “Especially in spring through summertime, it’s unpleasant. You never know if it’s safe to walk outside with all the odors.”
“It’s annoying to have the smell when you come out of the house. You can feel the stink,” Kumar said.
The smell makes them worried about other issues that they cannot observe, like chemicals in the air and water. They are also bothered by garbage hauler traffic and load banging sounds coming from the landfill.
Residents opposed to the proposed expansion of the Arbor Hills landfill in Salem Township gather at a community meeting at Northville High School on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.Jen Eberbach/MLive
As the landfill nears the end of its capacity in the next few years, landfill operator Green For Life, known as GFL, is working on a plan to expand. The landfill would expand to about 90 acres the company owns north of the existing site. That land, the site of a compost facility, is now partly vacant.
While GFL has not yet submitted a proposal to state environmental regulators, the company in late 2024 made known its long-discussed plan to expand the landfill, as it reaches the end of its capacity.
The landfill has been operated by different companies for more than 60 years. Years ago, previous owner Advanced Disposal scrapped plans to expand.
The landfill has a history of complaints and violations, including for PFAS contamination and odor complaints, erosion and sediment discharge. But since taking it over, GFL has invested in some improvements.
Dave Seegert, district manager for GFL Environmental, and other GFL representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
Seegert recently told the Detroit Free Press that the landfill expansion is in the early stages of planning and design.
He also pointed out that the landfill also recycles materials and offers a free household hazardous waste drop-off program and a composting facility, according to the report. Salem Township also receives millions a year in revenue from renewable natural landfill gas capture and a lease payment.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy officials would have the final say on whether to permit a new landfill operation on the land to the north.
But Washtenaw County officials will play a critical role in the decision. The landfill wouldn’t be allowed to expand unless Washtenaw County’s plan for materials management includes the expansion. A county committee, formed by state mandate, is working on recommendations. Ultimately, the county Board of Commissioners will vote on whether to approve that plan.
Many people who spoke at the community meeting were frustrated that Northville Township — located in Wayne County and directly downwind — does not get a say in whether the landfill should expand and keep operating.
“The process is very unfair, because the landfill is in Washtenaw County,” David Drinan, The Conservancy Initiative’s vice president, said.
“Salem Township reaps all the benefits and Northville Township bears the burden,” Drinan said.
Aside from odors blowing west to east, hundreds of trucks a day traverse the township, sometimes dropping litter, he said. Water that gets into the landfill flows through Northville Township’s sewer system on its way to a wastewater treatment plant in Ypsilanti.
“It’s had a terrible compliance record,” he said.
Air, water quality and erosion issues have been found over the years. Northville Township sued in 2021. In 2020, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a suit against previous operator Advanced Disposal on behalf of EGLE. A settlement was reached with GFL, which had taken over operation of the landfill, requiring $2.3 million in fines and environmental projects meant to stem issues at the landfill.
Drinan also questioned the need for the landfill. He argued that there is plenty of capacity in the state and some of the trash comes in from Canada. He also predicted an increased focus on recycling will reduce the need for landfills in the future.
“It’s not a big deal when Arbor Hills goes away for Washtenaw County,” he said.
Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull opposes the proposed expansion of the Arbor Hills landfill in Salem Township at a community meeting at Northville High School on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.Jen Eberbach/MLive
Northville Mayor Brian Turnbull is concerned about water quality in Johnson Creek, a spring fed cold water trout creek and tributary of the Rouge River, he said.
“We’re looking at PFOS and other contaminations that go into that, and also the dumping of different waters in there. It changes environmentally the temperatures and the ecosystem,” Turnbull said.
“My part of this is to keep that stream the holy waters for southeastern Michigan,” he said. “There is a place. We have to have waste management facilities. That location is a tough one that is right on a stream that is some of the purest water.”
Northville Township Supervisor Mark Abbo said he expects the township board to approve a resolution opposing the landfill expansion at its Thursday, Jan. 15 meeting.
State Rep. Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor, and state Rep. Matt Koleszar, D-Plymouth, also spoke at the event. They spoke about previous Democrat-led attempts in the state legislature to increase fines and increase tipping fees — surcharges for processing and disposing of solid waste.
The Conservancy Initiative plans to continue mobilizing the opposition. People who attended the community meeting were encouraged to make their opinions known to the Washtenaw County board, its materials management committee and state elected officials.
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