Pollution

What is Pollution? – Pollution is the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects. The prevention of pollution is everybody’s job. Commerce and industry must collaborate with government, residents and visitors towards a cleaner environment. The effort involves research, innovation, education, and a love of Nature, but also vigilance, enforcement, and remediation.

The main categories of pollution are as follows:

• Air pollution – radon, vehicle idling, open fires, gas-powered lawn mowers
• Water pollution – road salt, fertilizer and pesticide runoff and inappropriate dumping of chemicals, like engine oil, into storm drains, watercourses and the bay. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a Federal program working with states looking at water pollution related to municipal and industrial wastewater, stormwater, vessel discharges, pesticide applications over or near water, and animal feeding operations.
• Land pollution – litter, leaking underground storage tanks, and illegal dumping
• Noise pollution – excessive noise from commercial and residential sources
• Light pollution -excessive and inappropriate artificial light. The four components of light pollution are often combined and may overlap: Urban Sky Glow—the brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas; Light Trespass—light falling where it is not intended, wanted, or needed; Glare—excessive brightness which causes visual discomfort. High levels of glare can decrease visibility; Clutter—bright, confusing, and excessive groupings of light sources, commonly found in over-lit urban areas. The proliferation of clutter contributes to urban sky glow, trespass, and glare. (See Dark Skies Awareness for further information)

Land – Clean Communities

Aberdeen township participates in the statewide Clean Communities Program. The primary focus of this program is to promote litter reduction through the implementation of local-level efforts that incorporate the elements of clean up, enforcement and education.

The NJ Clean Communities Act provides funding for this program, which is coordinated by the Clean Communities Council in conjunction with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.

CLEAN UP: The Township provides an ongoing program of removing litter from municipal roadways, parks and beaches, and other public lands. It also provides residents with the opportunity to participate in an extensive recycling program. The Township has used Clean Communities funds to provide trash & recycling receptacles at various public places and services these receptacles periodically.

The Township Clean Communities Program participates with the Aberdeen Township Environmental and Shade Tree Advisory Board in semi-annual public lands clean-ups. The spring clean-up is held in conjunction with Earth Day and new VOLUNTEERS are always welcome. Please watch for advertisements in March and April.

EDUCATION: Aberdeen Township provides relevant presentations to community groups and children.

ENFORCEMENT: Aberdeen Township has enacted and is enforcing litter-related ordinances. Residents and business owners can be an invaluable resource in litter reduction by learning, understanding, and abiding by these necessary regulations which are enumerated in Township of Aberdeen Ordinances 4-15 Litter. In general these regulations can be summarized thusly:

• Do not litter in public places including streets and sidewalks;
• Do not litter in bodies of water including fountains, ponds, lake, streams, or bays;
• Do not litter on occupied or private property;
• Do not sweep litter into any gutter, street or public place;
• Do not discard litter from vehicles;
• Keep merchants’ sidewalks free of litter;
• Avoid truck or vehicle load spillage on roadways and adjacent properties.

Noise: Revised General Ordinances, Chapter III, 3-1

3-1.1   Noise Prohibited

No person shall make, continue or cause to be made or continued any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise or any noise which does or is likely to annoy, disturb, injure or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others. (1973 Code § 4-2.1)

3-1.2      Definition of Noise

Without intending to limit the generality of subsection 3-1.1, the following acts are hereby declared to be examples of loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise in violation of this section:

1. Radios; Televisions; Phonographs. The playing, use or operation of any radio receiving set, television, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring inhabitants or with louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing for persons who are in the room, vehicle or chamber in which the machine or device is operated and who are voluntary listeners. The operation of such a set, instrument, phonograph, machine or device between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., so that it is clearly audible at a distance of 100 feet from the building, structure or vehicle in which it is located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.
2. Yelling; Shouting. Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing on the public streets, particularly between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., or at any time or place, which annoys or disturbs the quiet, comfort or repose of persons in any office, dwelling, hotel, motel or other type of residence or of any persons in the vicinity.
3. Animals; Birds. The keeping of animals or birds which, by causing frequent or long-continued noise, disturbs the comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity; but nothing herein contained is intended to apply to a dog pound or kennel licensed in accordance with Chapter V.
4. Horns. The sounding of a horn or warning device on an automobile, motorcycle, bus or other vehicle, except when required by law, or when necessary to give timely warning of the approach of the vehicle, or as a warning of impending danger to persons driving other vehicles or to persons on the street. No person shall sound a horn or warning device on an automobile, motorcycle, bus or other vehicle which emits an unreasonably loud or harsh sound, or for an unnecessary or unreasonable period of time.
5. Exhaust. The discharge into the open air of the exhaust of a steam engine, stationary internal combustion engine or motor vehicle, except through a muffler or other device which will effectively prevent loud or explosive noises.
6. f. Defect in Vehicle or Load. The use of an automobile, motorcycle or vehicle so out of repair or so loaded that it creates loud and unnecessary grating, grinding, rattling or other noise.
7. Construction or Repair. The carrying on of excavation, demolition, construction, repair or alteration work other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., the carrying on of construction, repair or alteration work by a homeowner on his own dwelling or property, other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., the carrying on of excavation, demolition, construction, repair or alteration work by anyone on Saturday and Sunday, other than between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. In case of urgent necessity or in the interest of public health or safety, the Manager may grant a permit for excavation, demolition, construction, repair or alteration work for a period not to exceed three days, by the terms of which permit such work may be carried on between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
8. Schools; Courts; Houses of Worship; Hospitals. The creation of excessive noise on a street adjacent to a school, institution of learning, house of worship or court while in use or adjacent to a hospital, which unreasonably interferes with the working of the institution or which disturbs or unduly annoys patients in the hospital, provided that conspicuous signs are displayed in such a street indicating that it is a school, hospital or court street.
9. i. The carrying on of law mowing, grass trimming, leaf blowing, or any landscaping work that requires the use of motorized equipment other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday and the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The above enumeration is intended to give typical illustrations of prohibited noise and shall not be construed as exclusive.

(1973 Code § 4-2.2; Ord. No. 8-2011 § 1, 2) (ClerkBase)

Air – Air Quality Strategies – A Collaborative Report for the State of New Jersey (2005)

Two members of the Aberdeen Environmental and Shade Tree Advisory Board worked with the Homes and Restaurants Work Group to produce this report on air quality in New Jersey.