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Environmental Health

Pursuant to the County Environmental Health Act (CEHA) (N.J.S.A. 26:3A2-21 et seq.) and as authorized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“Department”) the Morris County Division of Public Health oversees the implementation of the Morris County CEHA Program. Areas of service under the CEHA Program include:

Illegal Dumping/Solid Waste Enforcement

Morris County has taken a stance against illegal dumping. The Division of Public Health has designated a Solid Waste Enforcement Investigator who conducts random, trail camera surveillance and patrols on major illegal dumpsites county-wide.

If convicted, you can be fined up to $5,000.00, be subject to loss of driver’s license for a period of six months to a year, forfeiture of vehicles used or intended for use in lawful transportation or disposal of solid waste, and/or community service for up to 90 days.

You can dispose of your waste safely at these locations.(PDF, 493KB)

To report illegal dumping, call us at 973-631-5486 or the NJDEP Hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP.

Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Response/CBRNE/Homeland Security

UASI Lab Analysis Truck/HAZMAT 3 used to deploy high end equipment during a CBRNE Type response. The HAZMAT Team consists of four (4) full time Environmental Services members as well as eight (8) Team members from various Departments of the County which include Public Works, the Motor Service Center, and Engineering. All Environmental Staff and HAZMAT Team members are currently certified as NJSP-HMRU HAZMAT 80-Hour Technicians. The Staff and Team also have some members that are NJSP Tanker or Railcar Specialist trained, along with the advanced NJSP-HMRU CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear, Explosive) Technician trained.

The team has representation on the UASI (Urban Areas Security Initiative) subcommittee and is also a part of the Morris County WOMDAT Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction Assessment Team). This Team is comprised of the Morris County’s Prosecutors Office- Arson/ Environmental Crimes Unit, the Morris County Sheriff’s Department- Protective Services/ Bomb Squad/ K-9 Unit, and the Morris County Division of Public Health- HAZMAT Team.

In Case of an Environmental Emergency, Contact:

Environmental Abuse/Emergencies: http://www.nj.gov/dep/warndep.htm 1-877-WARNDEP

(1-877-927-6337) For all other Emergencies: Dial 9-1-1 or The Morris County Communications Center at (973) 285-2900

Air Pollution Control

The Morris County Division of Public Health – Environmental Services Unit conducts inspections and enforcement of N.J.A.C. 7:27 on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection which permits equipment used at Minor/B Sources, Auto Body Shops, and Dry Cleaners.

These CEHA inspections include the assessment of permit applicability and required historical usage records. The Environmental Services Unit additionally responds to citizen complaints related to air quality that include smoke, dust, and odor.

The Office assists the permitted community with compliance issues by providing open communication with facilities and conducting periodic educational seminars related to the Air Quality Program.

Noise Control

Currently, the Division of Public Health- Environmental Services Staff performs noise investigations in response to residential noise complaints and by the request of local health departments. The Division of Public Health has a Quest Technologies, Type 1, Model 1900 Precision Integrated/ Logging Sound Level Meter with a QC-20 Calibrator and Octave Band capability that is used for noise measurement during investigations in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:29-2.1 et. seq. All four (4) of the Environmental Services Staff currently hold Noise Certifications issued by the Rutgers Noise Technical Assistance Center.

Lead Inspection Assistance

Morris County provides assistance to local Health Departments through shared service agreements. Under the agreements, the Division of Public Health lends out the RMD LPA-1 XRF Lead Paint Spectrum Analyzer to local health departments upon request. Also, the Division of Public Health provides inspection assistance to local health agencies in their Lead Inspection and Risk Assessment process. Currently, Harding Township, Lincoln Park, Morristown, Rockaway Township, and Hanover Township all have shared service agreements. Of the Environmental Staff, three (3) have current Lead Licenses under the State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.

Safe Drinking Water Program and Water Pollution Control

Pursuant to the County Environmental Health Act (CEHA) (N.J.S.A. 26:3A2-21 et seq.) and as authorized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“Department”) the Morris County Division of Public Health performs the following different functions in support of State and Federal Safe Drinking Water regulations:

Conduct Sanitary Surveys and Compliance Evaluations of all Non-Community Public Water Systems (NCPWS) within Morris County.
Inspect /investigate NCPWS as required to appropriately respond to complaints or other indications of potential problems.
Provide educational assistance to water system owners and operators as necessary for them to effectively manage their systems and protect water supplies.

Documents

Ambient Surface Water Sampling

Water samples are collected from local streams and rivers for bacterial analysis with funding support from the CEHA Program. During the summer months, Environmental Services Staff is responsible for sample collection, temperature readings, and packaging for courier service to the New Jersey State Lab in Trenton.

Solid Waste Control Program

The Division of Public Health and the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority (MCMUA) work hand-in-hand to investigate complaints, enforce Solid Waste Regulations, and inspect solid waste facilities. With the overall vision of achieving compliance, a considerable amount of time is spent on the investigation, inspection and enforcement process related to the Solid Waste Program, including the inspection of Transfer Stations, Class C Exempt Compost Sites, Class C Compost Sites, and Class B Compost Sites.