Residents Encouraged to File Odor Complaints with County Health Office
RARITAN TWP., N.J. (Hunterdon County) — Township of Raritan residents who have complaints regarding odors or any environmental incident that impact the “enjoyment of life or property” can report the incident to the Hunterdon County Health Department Environmental Health Services Office 24/7 at (908) 788-1351. Calls should be placed while odors are active and each time offensive odors are encountered to substantiate the Department’s reasonable cause to investigate.
The Hunterdon County Department of Health’s Environmental Health Services Office educates, enforces, and protects the health of the residents and visitors of the County of Hunterdon through the implementation of effective and efficient environmental health programs, and enforces the guidelines of the Air Pollution Control Act (N.J.A.C. § 7:27-1 et seq.) administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
Air pollution is defined, in part, as one or more air contaminants that can be injurious to human health or welfare, animal or plant life, or property.
Although the reporting process residents can expect varies, the Township provided an overview of what the County may require of you and next steps –
When a complaint is filed, you will be asked to provide your name, address, and contact information so their staff will be able to investigate the complaint. Dispatchers are NOT air enforcement investigators and cannot answer specific questions related to the complaint.
After the dispatcher receives the requested information, a Health Inspector will be dispatched to the complainant’s location and attempt to verify the presence of the air contaminant at that location. The inspector will then ask the complainant(s) to complete a “Statement of Complaint” form, which attests that the odor “unreasonably interfered with the enjoyment of life or property.”
If the investigator independently verifies there is a violation based upon the complaint you registered, you may have to appear in court to support your statement of complaint and the investigator’s findings. All complainant information is kept confidential unless the violation proceeds to court. If an odor violation based upon a citizen complaint proceeds to a court hearing, complainant’s identities will be released as part of the hearing procedures.
NJDEP also has its hotline service along with a mobile app residents can use to report potential public health concerns:
For Environmental Non-Emergencies – The NJDEP has a mobile application “WARN NJDEP.” The FREE app is available for download in the Apple App and Google Play stores for iPhone and Android, respectively. The app utilizes GPS technology for pinpoint location of environmental incidents and allows users to submit photos as part of their reports to the DEP. Use the app to report non-emergency environmental incidents only.
For Environmental Emergencies – Report life-threatening and/or environmental emergencies by calling 9-1-1, local police or the DEP’s hotline: 1-877-WARNDEP (1-877-927-6337).
If you have a question about odors, contact the Department’s Northern Regional Office at (973) 656-4444 or email
###
Disclaimer: Any external weblinks connected through the Raritan Township (hereinafter “Township”) website, the “My Raritan Township” mobile application, and any communication medium that officially represents the Township as a government entity, are provided as a convenience for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the Township of any product, service or opinion of the associated corporations, organizations or individuals. The Township bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Inquiries related to the external site and its content must be directed to the point-of-contact of the external site.
-30-
Press Contact: