To promote the public safety, health, welfare, convenience and travel enjoyment, to protect the public investment in highways, and to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty of lands bordering public highways, and to promote the conservation of our natural mineral resources by encouraging the recycling of resalable scrap iron and metal, it is hereby declared to be in the public interest to regulate the establishment, operation, and maintenance of junkyards in areas adjacent to interstate and federal aid primary highway systems in the state highway system within this State. The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that junkyards which do not conform to the requirements of this chapter are public nuisances.