Fugitive Dust "Appears to be an Issue" from Petroleum Coke Piles on Detroit Waterfront

Press Release

After Congressman Gary Peters pressed Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) about efforts underway to ensure precautions are being taken to effectively store and handle the petroleum coke piles along the Detroit River, there is new evidence of a fugitive dust problem in addition to the contaminated stormwater runoff. Peters recently met with small business owners and local residents who raised concerns about dust from the pet coke piles affecting their businesses and public health in the area.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality responded to Peters' inquiry, saying that "recent observations by MDEQ staff of fugitive dust concerns at the site lead MDEQ staff to contact DBS [Detroit Bulk Storage]. Fugitive dust does appear to be an issue during the loading of material onto freighters." The fugitive dust problem comes after reports that a drain was only recently sealed after months of contaminated stormwater runoff flowed into the Great Lakes watershed. While Peters is encouraged that steps are being taken to mitigate the dust problem, he reiterated concerns regarding the open-air storage and handling of the pet coke piles along the waterfront.

Peters said: "I've met with small business owners, residents and local experts who have raised concerns about the potential public health and safety risk of petroleum coke stored out in the open. For months, the pet coke piles have been largely uncontained, and now we are facing problems of dust and contaminated stormwater. While I appreciate the efforts underway to correct problems with dust and contaminated runoff, these reports raise serious questions about how pet coke dust and runoff has affected our community and the Great Lakes watershed."

Peters continues to advocate for his Petroleum Coke Transparency and Public Health Study Act that calls for a federal study on public health and environmental impacts of the waste byproduct in order to gain critical information about how Michiganders could be affected by the mounting pet coke piles along the Detroit waterfront. Peters' proposal earned support from Michigan U.S. Representatives John Conyers Jr., John Dingell, Sander Levin, and Dan Kildee.

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