North Carolina General Statutes 14-284.2. Dumping of toxic substances
(a) It shall be unlawful to deposit, place, dump, discharge, spill, release, burn, incinerate, or otherwise dispose of any toxic substances as defined in this section or radioactive material as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 104E-5 into the atmosphere, in the waters, or on land, except where such disposal is conducted pursuant to federal or State law, regulation, or permit. Any person who willfully violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class F felony. The fine authorized by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-1.1(a)(8) for a conviction under this section may include a fine of up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per day of violation.
(b) Within the meaning of this section, toxic substances are defined as the following heavy metals and halogenated hydrocarbons:
(1) Heavy metals: mercury, plutonium, selenium, thallium and uranium;
Attorney's Note
Under the N.C. Gen. Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class F felony | between 10 and 41 months |
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 14-284.2
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
(2) Halogenated hydrocarbons: polychlorinated biphenyls, kepone.
(c) Within the meaning of this section, the phrase “law, regulation or permit” includes controls over equipment or machinery that emits substances into the atmosphere, in waters, or on land (such as federal or State controls over motor vehicle emissions) and controls over sources of substances that are publicly consumed (such as drinking water standards), as well as controls over substances directly released into the atmosphere, in waters, or on land (such as pesticide controls and water pollution controls).
(d) Within the meaning of this section the term “person” includes any individual, firm, partnership, limited partnership, corporation or association. (1979, c. 981, s. 2; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1316, s. 17; 1981, c. 63, s. 1, c. 179, s. 14; 1993, c. 539, s. 1224; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)