a. The Legislature hereby finds that the current practice of ocean disposal of sludge, is, to a large degree, responsible for the degradation of the coastal waters of this State and the serious environmental and economic problems related thereto; that such degradation and problems will be aggravated by a continued reliance upon this practice to the point of being virtually irreversible; that land disposal methods and new technological processes now make it feasible to minimize the adverse effects of sludge while deriving useful products therefrom; and that the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this State now require that such methods and processes replace the practice of ocean disposal of sludge.

b. The Legislature further finds that the efficient and reasonable management of solid waste and sludge are inherently compatible; that the recycling of solid waste and the processing of sludge into energy, fertilizers and other useful products are complementary; that State programs which seek to provide for comprehensive approaches to the proper disposal or utilization of solid waste or sludge must be regional in nature; and that the interests of the citizens of this State would best be served through an integration of sludge management with the regional solid waste planning and management process.

c. The Legislature, therefore, declares that it is the policy of this State to supplement the regional objectives of the “Solid Waste Management Act,” P.L.1970, c. 39 (C. 13:1E-1 et seq.), by requiring that the solid waste management districts established therein plan and provide for the processing or land disposal of sludge in the manner and extent hereinafter provided.

L.1977, c. 328, s. 1, eff. Jan. 10, 1978.