Ontario and Michigan reach trash agreement

Michigan senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow have reached a deal with Ontario that would limit residential trash exports from the province in the short term and eliminate them completely by 2010. However, the deal has no impact on the industrial, institutional and commercial trash that makes up the remaining two thirds of the solid waste Michigan accepts from Ontario.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the deal affects six Ontario communities, including Toronto. Residential waste contracts with Michigan held by these communities will be allowed to expire, cutting exports to the state by 20 percent each of the next three years and 40 percent in the final year. In return, Levin and Stabenow agreed to drop legislation that would levy substantial inspection fees for garbage trucks entering the United States.

"Today is the beginning of the end of the filling up of our landfills and clogging our bridges and highways with trucks from Canada," said Levin in a press conference announcing the deal.