LANSING – Opponents of recent proposals to limit new landfill construction and expansion argue that the restrictions would do more to hurt than help Michigan’s economy.

A need for jobs is one reason not to restrict landfills, said Mike Johnston, director of regulatory affairs for the Michigan Manufacturers Association.

Shrinking the space in landfills would increase the cost of waste disposal, which in turn would increase the cost of doing business in Michigan and deter new businesses from coming here, he said.

Among businesses that would be most affected by this proposal are manufacturers, including the auto industry, and builders, which both generate a lot of industrial waste, said Russ Harding, senior environmental policy analyst with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland. The Center is a free market-oriented think tank.

But the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Kate Ebli, D-Monroe, said the main objective is to decrease the amount of out-of-state and Canadian garbage imported into Michigan’s landfills.

One out of every three bags of waste dumped into Michigan’s landfills arrives from outside of the state, she said.

“We should not be the dumping ground for other people’s trash.  This is a beautiful state and we need to be the magnet for 21st century jobs and not garbage, she said.

Johnston said Ebli wants to increase the price for using landfills, but “never talks about who’s going to be responsible for the cost.”

Deb Muchmore, communications director for the Michigan Waste Industry Association, said that the public needs to know that most landfills are private businesses.

The government shouldn’t be able to tell someone that he or she can’t expand their own business, said Muchmore.

Johnston agreed. “This is an assault by the government on the private sector.  This problem will resolve itself.”

Muchmore said most of Michigan’s 52 landfills already have pre-approved space designated for expansion

Hugh McDiarmid Jr., communication director of the Michigan Environmental Council, said that there should be more focus on creating and funding a robust recycling program to help reduce disposal amounts.  The Council is a coalition of environmental groups.

A “tipping fee” that would increase the cost to dump would deter outside garbage, said McDiarmid.  But the idea hasn’t generated enough legilative support.

Muchmore said that although the proposal is intended to make Michigan landfills less desirable to outsiders, in the end, Michigan families will be the ones most affected.

This proposal “has the potential of cutting off the nose, to spite the face,” said Muchmore.

And Harding said, “this is a simple case of supply and demand, if supply goes down but demand remains the same, the cost will go up for everyone.”

This proposal “has the potential of cutting off the nose, to spite the face,” said Muchmore.