Hundreds of Detroit home demolition sites may have been backfilled with toxic construction debris, creating a public health threat in neighbourhoods, warn environmental experts. The city's demolition programme, one of the largest in US history, has potentially left small toxic waste dumps scattered across residential areas.
Independent experts say chemicals such as lead, asbestos, mercury, cadmium and PAHs are likely present in the slag used to backfill the sites. These substances are toxic even at low exposure levels. The contamination came to light after an investigation found a contractor used dirt from the demolished Northland Shopping Mall, with 42 of 47 sites tested exceeding pollution thresholds.
Former state regulator Steve Hoin criticised the city's oversight, saying protocols developed after previous contamination were not followed. 'It's mismanagement because they had knowledge back in 2017 that contaminated fill was coming in, and they haven't fixed the problem,' he said. The Duggan administration has defended its actions, with spokesperson John Roach stating that the city's testing and investigation brought the issue to light and that 'no one has been more effective than the City of Detroit at holding unscrupulous contractors accountable.'
The problem comes as outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan, who has touted the demolition programme as a key achievement, leaves office. His successor, Mary Sheffield, will inherit the situation, which Duggan estimated could cost around $18,000 per property to remedy. State regulators are working with the city to determine appropriate actions, including possible remediation or enforcement.
