N.J. officials target 12-acre ‘illegal junkyard’ in environmental crackdown

Kearny unlicensed junkyard faces Attorney General investigation

The New Jersey Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit against several defendants associated with a 12-acre Kearny property that has become an enormous illegal junkyard.photo provided by N.J. OAG

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A 12-acre property in Kearny, described by state officials as an “enormous illegal junkyard,” is the focus of a new environmental enforcement lawsuit.

The site, linked to the estate of Harold Faulk, is accused of violating state land use, solid waste and water pollution laws.

It sits in a neighborhood classified as “overburdened” under New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law, which targets pollution in communities long exposed to environmental harm.

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette are seeking a court order to halt all unauthorized activity at the Kearny site, require a full cleanup and impose civil penalties.

“Every resident in every community of our state deserves to live free from environmental harm,” Platkin said. “That’s what environmental justice means.”

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Superior Court in Hudson County, says the property is littered with burned tires, oil spills, leaking batteries, car parts, asphalt millings and other debris.

The case is just one of several new enforcement actions unveiled Thursday by the Attorney General’s Office.

  • Hakim International and its owner in Hamilton, Mercer County are facing a lawsuit from state officials for allegedly operating an illegal waste site that stores flammable materials and asbestos.
  • In Woodbridge, officials are seeking a contempt order against Spector-Woodbridge for alleged illegal dumping on wetlands despite two prior court orders.
  • Spray-Tek, also in Woodbridge, faces $240,000 in fines for allegedly operating without required pollution controls.
  • Trenton-based KAARS, Inc. agreed to a $100,000 settlement over hazardous waste violations and will install new pollution controls.

Calls to the companies and individuals named by state officials were not immediately returned.

“Today’s enforcement actions embody DEP’s sustained commitment to confronting the historic injustices that have harmed already overburdened communities,” LaTourette said.

Residents can report environmental violations through the WARN DEP app, by calling 1-800-WARN-DEP, or emailing environmentaljustice@dep.nj.gov.

Stories by Colleen Murphy

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