The New Jersey Chapter of ISRI (NJ ISRI) has filed an appeal in the state’s superior court of new Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations around environmental justice issues, arguing they exceed state law and threaten the recycling of metals in the state.
“Recycling is critical for the environment. Metal recyclers break down cars, appliances, and countless other items for reuse, allowing manufacturers to use less energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Michael Miller, President of the New Jersey Chapter of ISRI. “The DEP gave itself unchecked power to deny these recyclers the ability to operate or to impose limitless restrictions on their operations, which wasn’t the intent of the Environmental Justice law and won’t advance its cause. We want to work together with the DEP and our neighbors in the community on common sense regulations that allow metal recyclers to keep contributing to our economy and our environment.”
The chapter is calling for a new collaborative approach between the DEP and stakeholder groups to establish regulations which allow metal recyclers to keep contributing to the economy and environment, while also working to support local communities.
