Requires DEP to regulate scrap metal facilities as recycling facilities.

This bill (A5852) would require New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to regulate scrap metal facilities as recycling centers rather than treating them as exempt from recycling center regulations. Scrap metal facility owners and operators would need to register with the DEP within one year of the bill's effective date, pay a $700 registration fee, and renew annually. Facilities operating shredders would require individual recycling center permits and must implement specific safety measures including fire prevention systems, stormwater controls, and dust management. The DEP would have 18 months to establish a regulatory program for these facilities, including hiring additional staff and requesting necessary funding in its annual budget.