From New Jersey Assembly Democrats
(TRENTON) – Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr.’s legislation, crafted in response to an industrial fire in Camden City earlier this year, recently cleared the Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee. The February 21st fire displaced residents, shuttered roads, and led to environmental and health concerns.
“Though the flames of this fire have long been extinguished, the questions and anguish by residents still remain,” said Assemblyman Moen (D-Camden, Gloucester). “As a legislator and someone whose family has called the city of Camden home for 5 generations, I share the community’s concerns. This package of bills seeks to minimize the chances that a fire of this magnitude can happen again.”
The industrial fire at a recycling facility forced the evacuation of approximately 100 residents, including senior citizens, disabled residents, and children. The owner of the company where the fire broke out determined that the fire was likely caused by a lithium-ion battery that was wrongly sent to the scrap recycling facility. Currently, the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety has a fact sheet outlining the risks of lithium-ion battery fires as well as how to safely use and dispose of them.
One bill, A5533, would establish requirements for receipt and purchase of scrap metals containing propulsion batteries, including but not limited to lithium-ion batteries.
Another bill, A5535, would prohibit owners or operators of scrap metal facilities from storing or processing automotive shredder residue without first obtaining a permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. It would also amend the “Solid Waste Management Act” to define “hazardous waste” and “automotive shredder residue.”
Bill A5534 would require any business that receives a state economic development subsidy and is found to have violated state environmental laws to forfeit either 20 percent of the subsidies or the total costs to address the environmental incident, whichever is greater. The bill would also require the proceeds of any payments received by the State to be deposited into a new Environmental Incident Recovery Fund, which would be used to reimburse residents impacted by certain environmental incidents.
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