Out of State Waste

Solid waste moves across the U.S./Canadian border, as it does across nearly every state line in the nation, because it is an article of commerce. Michigan ships hazardous waste, recyclable material and electronic scrap to Canada. In the U.S., environmental policy favors a smaller number of regional facilities that handle larger amounts of waste. Additionally, a series of Supreme Court decisions cite the Constitution’s Commerce Clause protection of interstate movement of waste, and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) provides for international movement.