This chapter is adopted by the Town under its home rule authority, its police powers to protect the public health safety and welfare and its authorization under MGL c. 40, § 21, MGL c. 111, § 31, and MGL c. 148, §§ 9 and 13.
The purpose of this chapter is to protect, preserve and maintain the Town's existing and potential groundwater supply, groundwater recharge areas, surface waters, air quality and natural environment and to assure public health and safety through the proper management of hazardous materials and waste.
The following terms shall be the following meanings in this chapter:
ABNORMAL LOSS OF MATERIAL OR WASTE
A loss of greater than 0.001% of the material stored over a period of one calendar month, unless such limit is unmeasurable, in which case the Board of Health shall set the limit.
BIODEGRADABLE
A product or material which decomposes at a significant rate into nontoxic materials by natural biological processes.
CMR
The Code of Massachusetts Regulations.
CONTAINER
Any portable device in which hazardous materials or wastes are stored, transported, treated, disposed of or otherwise handled.
DEP
The Department of Environmental Protection and/or its successors.
DISCHARGE
The disposal, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking, escape, incineration or placing of any hazardous material or waste, into or on the land, water or air. Discharge includes, without limitation, leakage of such hazardous materials or wastes from containers, tanks or storage systems, or disposal of such materials or wastes into any sewage disposal systems, dry well, catch basin or landfill.
FIRE CHIEF
The Fire Chief of the Town of Stoughton and shall include any designee of the Fire Chief.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL GENERATOR
Any commercial enterprise, government agency, owner or operator who produces, prepares, imports or compounds hazardous material or waste by combining previously nonhazardous materials to create hazardous materials.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL OR WASTE
Any substance, including petroleum, derivatives thereof, or metals, or combination of substances which, because of their quantity, concentration, physical, chemical, infectious, corrosive, flammable, combustible, radioactive, genetic or toxic characteristics, may cause or significantly contribute to a present or potential risk to human health, safety, or welfare, to the groundwater resources, or to the natural environment. Any substance regulated under applicable Stoughton Board of Health regulations and under any state or federal laws and regulations regulating hazardous, chemical, biological or waste materials, or any amendments thereof, shall be considered hazardous material or waste.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL USER
Any commercial enterprise, government agency, owner or operator who utilizes hazardous materials or waste, for any purposes other than those specifically exempt from the requirements of this chapter under § 113-5.
HAZARDOUS WASTE RECYCLER
Any commercial enterprise, government agency, owner or operator who separates hazardous materials from discarded products or materials as a business.
OWNERS or OPERATORS
Each and every person who alone or severally with others has legal title to any property on which is located any hazardous material or waste subject to this chapter; or a tenant, licensee or person in possession, who has care, charge or control of any such property, in any capacity, including without limitation agent, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of the holder of legal title; or agent, trustee or a person appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction; or a mortgagee in possession of such property. Each and every such person is bound to comply with the provisions of this chapter as if he were an owner.
STORAGE
The holding of any hazardous materials or wastes in one location for more than 24 hours.
STORAGE SYSTEM
One or more tank(s), and all connecting pipes, valves or other devices appurtenant thereto.
TANK
Any stationary device used to store or to contain an accumulation of hazardous materials or wastes.
UNDERGROUND STORAGE SYSTEM
A system in which any or part of any of the tanks, connecting pipes, valves or other devices are buried below the surface of the ground unless otherwise specified by the Board of Health.