[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Rochelle
Park 9-7-1971 by Ord. No. 329. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Garbage, rubbish and refuse — See Ch. 112.
Burning of waste material — See Ch. 185, § 185-130D(8)(b).
A.Â
Pollution of the atmosphere by smoke, cinders, soot,
fly ash, gases, fumes, vapors, odors, dust and other contaminants is a menace
to the health, welfare and comfort of the residents of the Township of Rochelle
Park and a cause of substantial damage to property.
B.Â
For the purpose of controlling and reducing atmospheric
pollution, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Township of Rochelle
Park to minimize air pollution as herein defined and prohibit excessive emission
of the same, to establish standards governing the installation, maintenance
and operation of equipment and appurtenances relating to combustion which
are a source or potential source of air pollution, and in furtherance of this
purpose, to cooperate and coordinate these efforts with the State Department
of Environmental Protection, Air Pollution Control Program.
The following terms, wherever used herein or referred to in this chapter,
shall have the respective meanings assigned to them:
The presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more air contaminants
in such quantities and duration as are or tend to be injurious to human health
or welfare, to animal or plant life or to property or would unreasonably interfere
with the enjoyment of life or property throughout the Township of Rochelle
Park as shall be affected thereby, and excludes all aspects of employer-employee
relationship as to health and safety hazards.
Those chemicals used as insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides,
nematocides or defoliants.
Any furnace, boiler, water heater, device, mechanism, stoker, burner,
stack, oven, stove, kiln, still or other apparatus, or a group or collection
of such units, in the process of fuel-burning for the generation of heat or
power. Refuse-burning equipment shall be considered incinerators as herein
defined and not as "fuel-burning equipment" under this definition. Ovens,
stoves or ranges used exclusively for domestic cooking purposes are not included
herein.
Any device, apparatus, equipment or structure used for destroying,
reducing or salvaging by fire any material or substance, including but not
limited to refuse, rubbish, garbage, debris or scrap, or facilities for cremating
human or animal remains.
A property of a substance which affects the sense of smell.
Any fire wherein the products of combustion are emitted into the
open air and are not directed thereto through a stack or chimney.
Any person who has care, custody or control of a building or premises
or a portion thereof, whether with or without knowledge of the owner thereof.
Any person who, alone or jointly or severally with others, shall
have legal or equitable title to any premises, with or without accompanying
actual possession thereof, or who shall have charge, care or control of any
premises or part thereof, including but not limited to a dwelling or dwelling
unit, as owner or agent of the owner, or as a fiduciary, including but not
limited to executor, administrator, trustee, receiver or guardian, or as a
mortgagee in possession regardless of how such possession was obtained. Any
person who is a lessee or sublessee of all or any part of any premises, including
but not limited to a dwelling or dwelling unit, shall be deemed to be a co-owner
with the lessor and shall have joint responsibility with the owner over the
premises or portion thereof so leased or subleased.
Includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms,
partnerships and joint-stock companies as well as individuals.
All putrescible and nonputrescible wastes, except body wastes, and
shall include but not be limited to garbage, rubbish, yard trimmings, leaves,
ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, abandoned automobiles and solid market
and industrial wastes.
Ringelmann's Scale for Grading the Density of Smoke, published by
the United States Bureau of Mines, or any chart, recorder, indicator or device
for the measurement of smoke density which is approved by the State Department
of Environmental Protection of the State of New Jersey as the equivalent of
said Ringelmann's Scale.
Solids not considered to be highly flammable or explosive, and shall
include but not be limited to rags, old clothes, leather, rubber, carpets,
wood, excelsior, paper, ashes, tree branches, yard trimmings, furniture, tin
cans, glass, crockery, masonry and other similar materials.
Any business, trade or industry engaged in whole or in part in salvaging
or reclaiming any product or material, including but not limited to metals,
chemicals, shipping containers or drums.
Small gasborne and airborne particles arising from a process of combustion
in sufficient number to be observable.
All solid or liquid materials or rubbish resulting from construction,
building operations or the prosecution of any business, trade or industry,
and shall include but not be limited to plastic products, cartons, paint,
grease, oil and other petroleum products, chemicals, cinders and other forms
of solid or liquid waste materials.
The prohibitions of open-air burning are as follows: No person shall
cause, suffer, allow or permit open burning of refuse or plant life nor conduct
a salvage operation by open burning, except for the open burning of trade
waste, which is not prohibited because there is no other known method of disposal
that can be used without hazard to health or property, and provided the required
affidavit has been filed with and approved by the Commissioner of the New
Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection in accordance with Chapter
II, Section 1.4, of the New Jersey Air Pollution Control Code.
A.Â
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit smoke
from any fuel-burning equipment, the shade or appearance of which is darker
than No. 1 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart, to be emitted into the open air.
B.Â
The provisions of this section shall not apply to smoke
emitted during the cleaning of a firebox or the building of a new fire, the
shade or appearance of which is not darker than No. 2 of the Ringelmann Smoke
Chart, for a period or periods aggregating no more than three minutes in any
15 consecutive minutes.
A.Â
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit smoke
from any incinerator, the shade or appearance of which is darker than No.
1 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart, to be emitted into the open air or emissions
of such opacity within a stack or chimney or, exclusive of water vapor, of
such opacity leaving a stack or chimney to a degree greater than the emission
designated as No. 1 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart.
B.Â
The provisions of this section shall not apply to smoke
emitted during the building of a new fire, the shade or appearance of which
is not darker than No. 2 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart, for a period of no
longer than three consecutive minutes nor to emissions of such opacity within
a stack or chimney or, exclusive of water vapor, of such opacity leaving a
stack or chimney to a degree which is not greater than the emission designated
as No. 2 of the Ringelmann Smoke Chart, for a period no longer than three
consecutive minutes.
C.Â
Visible particles. No person shall cause, suffer, allow
or permit the emission of particles of unburned waste or ash from any incinerator
which are individually large enough to be visible while suspended in the atmosphere.
D.Â
Odors. No person shall construct, install, use or cause
to be used any incinerator which will result in odors being detectable by
sense of smell in any area of human use or occupancy.
E.Â
Limitation on time of operation. No person shall operate,
and no owner or operator of any building in the Township of Rochelle Park
shall permit the operation of, an incinerator prior to 7:00 a.m. or after
5:00 p.m. of any day, and all operation shall be completely terminated by
5:00 p.m., including complete extinction of the fire and removal of material
in a safe manner from the firebox to a noncombustible container; provided,
however, that by special permit the Township of Rochelle Park may, because
of exceptional circumstances, permit different hours of operation under such
conditions as it shall deem necessary for the health, safety and welfare of
the public or of persons in the vicinity.
No person or owner of property and no person having possession or control
of property shall cause, suffer, allow or permit to be emitted into the open
air substances in such quantities as shall result in air pollution. The provisions
of this section shall not apply to the use of economic poisons.
A.Â
All buildings and premises subject to this chapter are
subject to inspection from time to time by the Township of Rochelle Park or
its duly authorized representatives. All rooms and areas in the building shall
be available and accessible for such inspection, which shall be made during
usual business hours if the premises are used for nonresidential purposes;
provided, however, that inspections may be made at other times if:
(1)Â
The premises are not available during the foregoing hours
for inspection; or
(2)Â
There is reason to believe that violations are occurring
on the premises which can only be apprehended and proved by inspection during
other than prescribed hours; or
(3)Â
There is reason to believe a violation exists of a character
which is an immediate threat to health or safety requiring inspection and
abatement without delay.
B.Â
Emergency inspections may be authorized without warrant
if the Township of Rochelle Park has reason to believe that a condition exists
which poses an immediate threat to life, health or safety. Such procedure
shall take place only where the time required to apply for and secure the
issuance of a warrant would render ineffective the immediate action necessary
to abate the condition. Emergency inspections may also be authorized by the
Governor in times of air pollution emergencies in accordance with N.J.S.A.
26:2C-32. Where the Township of Rochelle Park or the duly authorized representative
is refused entry or access or is otherwise impeded or prevented by the owner,
occupant or operator from conducting an inspection of the said premises, such
person shall be in violation of this chapter and subject to the penalties
hereunder.
C.Â
Search warrant or access warrant.
(1)Â
The Township of Rochelle Park may, upon affidavit, apply
to the Judge of the Municipal Court of the Township of Rochelle Park for a
search warrant, setting forth factually the actual conditions and circumstances
that provide a reasonable basis for believing that a nuisance or violation
of the chapter may exist on the premises, including one or more of the following:
(a)Â
That the premises require inspection according to the
cycle established by the Township of Rochelle Park for periodic inspections
or premises of the type involved.
(b)Â
That observation of external conditions (for example,
smoke, ash, soot, odors) of the premises and its public areas has resulted
in the belief that violations of this chapter exist.
(c)Â
Circumstances such as age and design of fuel-burning
equipment and/or system, types of incinerator, particular use of premises
or other factor which renders systematic inspections of such building necessary
in the interest of public health and safety.
(2)Â
If the Judge of the Municipal Court of the Township of
Rochelle Park is satisfied as to the matters set forth in the said affidavit,
he shall authorize the issuance of a search warrant permitting access to and
inspection of that part of the premises on which the nuisance or violation
may exist.
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter or
who shall fail to comply therewith or with any of the requirements thereof
shall be punishable as for a misdemeanor under the applicable provisions of
Title 26.[1] The violation of any section or subsection of this chapter shall
constitute a separate and distinct offense.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 26:2C-1 et seq.
This chapter is to be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes
herein described. Nothing herein is to be construed as repealing or abridging
the emergency powers of any agency of government except to the extent expressly
set forth herein.
