Residents in communities near a Northville Township landfill say ongoing odor issues have them worried about possible health impacts.

For several years, residents that live near Arbor Hills Landfill on Six Mile Road, west of Napier, have been filing complaints with Northville Township officials. Northville Township Supervisor Robert Nix told Hometownlife.com that there has been a sharp increase in complaints since 2015, and they are focused on correcting the issues as soon as possible. Mark Johnson is the general manager for Advanced Disposal, which operates the landfill, and says they are doing everything possible to minimize the complaints, with the company putting a lot of their budget into the project.

A major issue with the residents has been their health, as they believe they are inhaling toxic chemicals that are making them sick. Johnson says there are three primary causes of the odors, and they have control over two of them. The third cause is the replacement of a quarter-mile stretch of piping, which he says will require patience as they work on repairing the issue.

Ultimately, Johnson says there are zero health risks related to the odors, although many residents disagree. Johnson says monitoring efforts by the state have not turned up anything to indicate there are toxins coming from the landfill. However, he says while complaints are fewer, the amount they have is still too many and he’s committed to getting the odor issues resolved. (JB/JK)

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