(1) Undertake a program of research and development for the purpose of determining the most efficient, sanitary and economical way of collecting, disposing and utilizing solid waste.

(2) Formulate and promulgate, amend and repeal codes, rules and regulations concerning solid waste collection and solid waste disposal activities. Such codes, rules and regulations shall establish the procedures relating to the preparation and submission of environmental impact statements prior to the construction, acquisition, or operation of any solid waste facility, and shall establish standards for the construction and operation of solid waste facilities, which standards shall include, but not be limited to, provisions requiring: the maintenance of ground water quality monitoring wells to check water pollution; periodic monitoring of water quality by chemical analysis; measures to monitor methane gas production at sanitary landfills; plans for erosion control; revegetation procedures and plans for the maintenance, upkeep, and reuse of any sanitary landfill site; adequate cover material; safety measures; rodent, insect, bird, dust, fire and odor control programs; and such other measures as shall be deemed necessary to protect the public health and safety and the natural environment.

All codes, rules and regulations heretofore adopted by the Public Health Council relating to refuse disposal shall continue in full force and effect and be enforceable by the department, subject to its power as herein provided to amend or repeal the same.

(3) Develop, formulate, promulgate and review for the purpose of revising or updating not less than once every 2 years, a Statewide solid waste management plan which shall encourage the maximum practicable use of resource recovery procedures and which shall provide the objectives, criteria and standards for the evaluation of solid waste management plans prepared pursuant to the provisions of this amendatory and supplementary act for solid waste management districts in this State; and to the extent practicable, encourage and assist in the development and formulation of such solid waste management plans and guidelines to implement such plans. Such objectives, criteria and standards shall be promulgated within 180 days of the effective date of this act; provided, however, that general guidelines sufficient to initiate the solid waste management planning process by solid waste management districts in this State shall be promulgated within 30 days of the effective date of this act. In the development and formulation of the Statewide solid waste management plan the department shall consult with relevant agencies and instrumentalities of the Federal Government, and the aforesaid objectives, criteria and standards provided by said Statewide solid waste management plan shall conform, to the extent practicable, or as may be required, to the provisions of any Federal law concerning such objectives, criteria and standards.

(4) Make an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature evaluating the operation of this amendatory and supplementary act, including any recommendations deemed necessary by the department to better effectuate the purposes hereof.

b. The department may, in addition:

(1) Order any district, pursuant to the Statewide solid waste management plan, the objectives, criteria and standards contained therein, the environmental and economic studies conducted by the department therefor and in a manner designed to enhance the environment within the concerned districts, (a) to plan for the construction of resource recovery facilities, (b) to specify what processes should be utilized therein, (c) to develop a joint program with one or more adjacent districts for providing resource recovery facilities, and (d) for those districts affected by the guarantee provided in P.L.1968, c. 404, s. 9.1 (C. 13:17-10), to cooperate on a continuing basis with the department and with the other districts so affected in the development of a combined approach to solid waste management in northeastern New Jersey and make the final determination in the event of any overlap or conflict between the Hackensack Commission and any board of chosen freeholders pursuant to their respective responsibilities under this amendatory and supplementary act or pursuant to the Hackensack Commission’s responsibilities under P.L.1968, c. 404 (C. 13:17-1 et seq.).

(2) Acquire, by purchase, grant, contract or condemnation, title to real property, for the purpose of demonstrating new methods and techniques for the collection, disposal and utilization of solid waste;

(3) Purchase, operate and maintain, pursuant to the provisions of this act, any facility, site, laboratory equipment or machinery necessary to the performance of its duties pursuant to this act;

(4) Apply for, receive and expend funds from any public or private source;

(5) Contract with any other public agency, including county and municipal boards of health, or corporation incorporated under the laws of this or any other state for the performance of any function under this act. Any such contract with a county or municipal board of health may provide for the inspection and monitoring of solid waste facilities; the enforcement of the department’s standards therefor; and the training of county or municipal health officers engaged in such inspection, monitoring or enforcement;

(6) Make grants to assist in experimenting with new methods of solid waste collection, disposal, or utilization, pursuant to the provisions of sections 21 through 25 of this amendatory and supplementary act;

(7) Construct and operate, on an experimental basis, incinerators or other facilities for the disposal or utilization of solid waste, to provide the various municipalities and counties of this State, the Board of Public Utility Commissioners, the Hackensack Commission, and the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs with statistical data on costs and methods of solid waste collection and disposal;

(8) Make annual and such other reports as it may deem proper to the Governor and the Legislature evaluating the demonstrations and experiments conducted during each calendar year.

L.1970, c. 39, s. 6, eff. May 6, 1970. Amended by L.1975, c. 326, s. 7.