State Rep. Isaac Robinson on hazardous chemicals found in Detroit building

“Unfortunately, the existence of potentially hazardous chemicals is not unique here in Wayne County and as recently discovered in Oakland County. I fear if we don’t take swift action, it will only become more common. Corporations need to be held accountable for the safe storage, transfer and disposal of harmful chemicals.

“If the last few weeks and years have taught us anything – we must not wait to address environmental contamination. To protect the people of Michigan today and tomorrow, we must establish greater transparency on the storage of these chemicals and greater accountability to ensure they are cleaned up and disposed of the property. There is an over concentration of hazardous waste being stored, processed and disposed of in southeast Michigan. We must explore ways to decrease the influx of these chemicals into our state. People deserve to be free from the fear of contaminated water, air and soil.”

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https://www.google.com/…/new-center-area-building-with-same…

Contact:

Rep. Isaac Robinson

 

(313) 739-5093

  

 

 

A Detroit fire inspector was at the Commonwealth Industry building Tuesday in connection with the contamination investigation. 

 

 

The building on Commonwealth Street, west of the Lodge Freeway and north of I-94, appears to now be empty.

 

Public record searches show the building was at one point owned by Gary Sayers, the businessman who owned the now condemned Electro-Plating Services in Madison Heights. The substance on the freeway was hexavalent chromium coming from the basement of the business.

 

Sayers is currently in prison after he pleaded guilty to storing hazardous waste without a permit.

 

The Detroit Fire Department has contacted someone associated with the Detroit building, and crews will be going inside next week to investigate.

 

In the meantime, the Environmental Protection Agency is awaiting test results of soil from the I-696 site to determine how deep the contamination spread.

 

Detroit fire inspector was at the Commonwealth Industry building Jan. 7 in connection with the contamination investigation after receiving a tip that Sayers may have stored hazardous chemicals there.

 

Officials received a tip that hazard chemicals may have been stored at the Commonwealth Industry building in Detroit.

The building on Commonwealth Street, west of the Lodge Freeway and north of I-94, appears to now be empty.

 

Public record searches show the building was at one point owned by Sayers.

 

 

Crews went inside the building Jan. 10 and discovered several 8-foot by 10-foot concrete pits that contain a substance that appears to be the same one found on the freeway.

 

Further inspections and testing will be done at the Detroit building.

 

Officials said they are in the process of condemning the building. It will be boarded up so people can’t get inside.