2. The Legislature finds and declares that the collection of solid waste is an activity thoroughly affected with the public interest; that the health, safety and welfare of the people of this State require efficient and reasonable solid waste collection services; and that efficient solid waste collection services at competitive rates will more likely be achieved if the solid waste collection industry is under the supervision of, but not subject to traditional public utility rate regulation by, the Board of Public Utilities.

The Legislature further finds and declares that it is imperative that the State ensure the economic viability and competitiveness of the solid waste collection industry in order to safeguard the integrity of the State’s long-term solid waste management strategy; that it is equally imperative to safeguard the interests of consumers as well as the interests of those providing solid waste collection services; that to provide for ratepayer and consumer protection it is necessary to foster competition within the industry and to establish a responsible State supervisory role to ensure safe, adequate and proper solid waste collection service at competitive rates; and that to achieve these ends in the most efficient and reasonable manner, it is necessary to establish procedures for regulatory reform and the eventual termination of traditional public utility rate regulation of the solid waste collection industry.

The Legislature further finds and declares that the Legislature through enactment of P.L.1983, c.392 (C. 13:1E-126 et seq.) has established a licensing system which is designed to prevent persons with criminal backgrounds from engaging in the solid waste collection business, thereby promoting free and open competition within the solid waste collection industry; and that terminating traditional public utility rate regulation of the solid waste collection industry can be achieved without compromising the State’s role in protecting the public interest.

The Legislature therefore determines that it is in the public interest to establish procedures for the eventual termination of public utility rate regulation of solid waste collectors while at the same time maintaining Board of Public Utilities supervision over the solid waste collection industry.

L.1991,c.381,s.2.