[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee (now Mayor and Council)
of the Township of North Brunswick 12-17-1962. Section
157-23 amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions.
Other amendments noted where applicable.]
For the purposes of this chapter, the terms used herein are defined
as follows:
The cleaning of textiles, fabrics, garments or other articles by
the use of any solvent other than water in a dry-cleaning unit used or designed
to be used by the general public. For the purposes of this definition, the
phrase "used by the general public" shall be deemed to refer to the insertion
of such textiles, fabrics, garments or other articles into a dry-cleaning
unit or the removal of the same from such unit by a person or persons other
than an owner, operator or employee of the dry-cleaning establishment.
The Township Health Officer or his designated representative.
The fluid used in the dry-cleaning unit.
All installations of coin-operated dry-cleaning units must meet the
requirements of all state and township regulations.
The solvent used in said units shall be the cleaning fluid specified
by the equipment manufacturer and shall be free of additives to mask the odor.
It shall be classified as nonflammable at ordinary temperatures and shall
not be more toxic than perchlorethylene.
Only the front of the dry-cleaning machine shall extend into the customer
area. The remainder of each machine shall be separated from the customer area
by solid partition. This partition may be constructed as a non-load-bearing
double-faced wall structure to extend from floor to ceiling. Access door to
the enclosure back of the machines shall be self-closing, metal-clad and locked
to prevent access from the customer area.
The enclosure for the machines shall not be interconnected with that
of heating devices requiring air for combustion, such as gas dryers, water
heaters and boiler-heating plants. This heating equipment must obtain air
for combustion from the outside atmosphere.
All portions of the coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall be
adequately ventilated.
When application for a license to operate a coin-operated dry-cleaning
establishment is made, such application shall be accompanied by four sets
of plans and specifications showing building outline, all equipment to be
used and installation details thereof.
No coin-operated dry-cleaning machine shall be used by the general public
unless under the continual direct supervision of a competent attendant. The
attendant shall not be less than 21 years of age. No coin-operated dry-cleaning
machine shall be used by any person who is less than 17 years of age. A suitable
sign of such age restriction shall be prominently posted. No person shall
use spotting equipment containing flammable material in a coin-operated or
self-service dry-cleaning establishment.
All coin-operated dry-cleaning machines shall be fitted with a device
which would prevent the opening of the door of any machine while such machine
is in operation and until all solvent vapors have been removed from any textile,
fabric, garment or other article being cleaned and from the drum in which
the same shall be placed.
No coin-operated dry-cleaning machine shall be used unless directly
behind any such machine there shall be quick-opening valves and pipes to a
buried drain tank outside of the building of sufficient size to accept all
solvent contained in all coin-operated dry-cleaning machines in the establishment.
The quick-opening valves and pipes shall be so arranged as to cause solvent
to drain into such tank by means of gravity flow. The machines shall be installed
on a concrete base, around the edge of which there shall be a four-inch dike
making a reservoir to contain any liquids that may leak out of the machines.
The reservoir shall drain directly to pipes leading into the buried drain
tank above referred to.
In any coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment, solvent storage tanks,
vaporproof power box or boxes and other sources of danger shall be so situated
as to be inaccessible to the general public.
All coin-operated dry-cleaning establishments shall have two exits which
shall be at least 25 feet apart from each other and shall lead directly into
the street or to an area outside of the building leading to the street.
Filter residue and other residue containing solvent shall be disposed
of so as not to create a health hazard or nuisance. A locked, covered metal
container shall be used for temporary storage in a covered shed of noncombustible
construction outside the building. A respirator, approved by the United States
Bureau of Mines as affording protection against organic solvent vapors, shall
be provided for and used by maintenance personnel during the correction of
leakages, cleaning of the system, removal of lint and muck bags and at all
times when the odor of solvent is noticeable.
All exhausts shall be under positive pressure. The terminal of any exhaust
shall be at least 10 feet from any window or ventilating window if said ventilating
window or ventilating opening lies on the same plane as the exhaust terminal.
When the ventilating window or other ventilating openings lie on a plane which
faces in the direction of the exhaust terminal, such terminal shall be at
least 10 feet away from the same. All direct equipment exhausts or vents shall
be provided with mesh lint arrestors, which shall be kept clean, unless lint
traps are provided on the dry-cleaning unit. The total exhaust capability
of all exhaust devices used shall have a minimum capacity of 400 cubic feet
per minute per machine for normal use and 1,000 cubic feet per minute for
emergency use. The rated capacities of the exhaust fans shall appear on the
equipment or its nameplate.
Each coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall provide for customer
use a men's and women's rest room, each with toilet facilities.
No such dry-cleaning establishment shall permit the placing of articles
to be cleaned in any machine before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. All such
establishments shall be closed on Sundays.
Each coin-operated dry-cleaning establishment shall contain indoor signs
prominently displayed warning the customers of the dangers of excessive solvent
inhalation and skin irritation from the unevaporated dry-cleaning solvent.
A step-by-step readily legible instruction list for operation of the machines
shall be posted in a conspicuous location near the machine in the customer
area. These instructions shall include a list of items not to be dry-cleaned
in coin-operated or self-service dry-cleaning machines, such as those made
partly or completely of plastic, rubber, leather, paper, fur, angora, urethane.
If the machine is connected to the township water supply, it shall be
equipped with an air duct or properly installed vacuum breaker in the water
supply line upstream from the condenser. There shall be no control valves
downstream from the vacuum breaker. The waste water shall discharge through
an air gap.
Filter residue and other residues containing solvent shall be stored
and disposed of so as not to create a health hazard or nuisance. It shall
be unlawful to permit any residue containing solvent to flow into the sewer
system of the township. Tightly covered metal containers shall be used for
temporary storage of such waste. Such containers shall bear labels indicating
the contents and dangers involved in handling and shall be locked if in an
unenclosed place.
The entire premises of such establishment and all machines used therein
shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition. Each machine shall be inspected
each day it is in operation and kept in good repair by maintenance personnel.
A record shall be kept in the maintenance area of all inspections and repairs
made. The floor shall be kept clean and dry. The premises shall be adequately
ventilated and provided with sufficient natural or artificial light. The walls
of said premises shall be covered with nonabsorbent paint, cement or other
impervious material. The floor covering in the customer area shall be made
of a material resistant to the solvents used in the machines. All plumbing
work shall at all times conform to the provisions of the Plumbing Code of
the Township of North Brunswick, and all electrical installations shall conform
to the requirements of the National Electrical Code and shall always be kept
in a good condition and state of repair. The customer area shall be equipped
with a fire extinguisher approved for use against electrical or oil fires
by the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any coin-operated dry-cleaning
establishment in the Township of North Brunswick without first obtaining a
license therefor. Application for such license shall be filed with the Township
Clerk. Said application shall state the name and address of the owner or person,
firm or corporation who will operate the dry-cleaning establishment; the name,
address and authorized officer of the firm engaged to install the equipment
and the name or names of maintenance personnel and their telephone numbers
(the Township Clerk shall be notified of changes in the names and telephone
numbers of maintenance personnel); the exact location of the premises, the
size thereof and the number of coin-operated dry-cleaning machines, with make
and model numbers, which are to be installed. The application shall have the
consent of the owner of the premises attached thereto. No license shall be
issued unless the premises comply in all respects with fire,[1] health, plumbing and zoning regulations[2] of the township. The annual license fee for the full year shall
be $25; provided, however, that an additional fee of $5 shall be paid for
each self-service machine installed. Each license shall expire on December
31 of each year.
Any license granted hereunder may be suspended or revoked at any time
by the Mayor and Council upon conviction of the holder thereof of a violation
of any provision of this chapter.
[Amended 9-6-1977; 4-17-2006
by Ord. No. 06-06]
Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions
of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine of
not more than $2,000 or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days,
or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the Judge. The
continuation of such violation on each successive day shall constitute a separate
offense, and the person or persons allowing or permitting the continuation
of the violation may be punished as provided above for each separate offense.
