Environmental Health:
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The Environmental Health Division of the Ocean County Health Department functions to ensure the health of the residents of Ocean County. This is accomplished through addressing problems concerning exposure to environmental contaminates by eliminating or minimizing pollutants in the air and water, and by controlling solid and hazardous wastes.
The public is protected against exposure to disease through the inspection of retail food establishments and monitoring of recreational bathing areas. This division enforces compliance of the laws governing environmental and public health and acts as a liaison for many state, county, and local health departments regarding these regulations.
The Environmental Division responsibilities include periodic inspections of a wide array of facilities and sites and responses to complaints received by the public pertaining to any environmental and/or public health safety problem. Investigations of the complaints cover numerous fields which include noise pollution, hazardous substances in ground water, insect and rodent control, heating problems in multi-unit dwellings, noxious weed surface water pollution, and air pollution.
Jellyfish Warning
Mobile Unit Food Rules
Ocean County Health Dept. Ordinance 94-1
Body Art Procedures
Sanitation in Retail Food Establishments and Food and Beverage Vending Machines
Public Recreational Bathing
Food Plan Review Guidelines
Policy for Information Request Relating to Site Histories, Known or Suspected Contamination (Water, Air and/or Soil)
Services
Air Sanitation
The department inspects; Gasoline Stations for permits and vapor recovery systems; Dry Cleaners for air pollution control devices; Spray Booths (Painting), for permits and operating procedures; Stack Testing, for percent opacity in commercial smoke stacks; Heat Exchanges and diesel generators that generate at least one million BTU’s; and the division responds to odor complaints from the community. The division employs personnel that are state certified in odor detection and smoke reading (percent opacity) to determine compliance with state codes and regulations.
Coastal Cooperative Monitoring Program
During the Summer Bathing Season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) the division is responsible for the water sampling at over 100 public bathing areas in Ocean County. Further information on this program can be accessed through the home page of the web site. Please click on “Beach Reports/Closings.”
Well and Water Analysis
The division reviews plans for the construction and installation of potable and non-potable wells in Ocean County. The division also physically inspects all new well installations and reviews required water analysis for compliance with existing standards. The division also responds and investigates samples that exceed water quality standards.
Public Non-Community Water Supplies
Commercial and private establishments that are served by a private well and have over fifteen service connections or serve over twenty five of the same people each day are considered Public Non-Community Water Supplies. This division inspects these establishments for compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Septic Systems
The division reviews engineering plans for the construction of new or altered subsurface sewage disposal systems in Ocean County. The division also responds to citizen complaints regarding malfunctioning septic systems and enforces all applicable state and county regulations.
Solid Waste
The division inspects all open and closed landfills in Ocean County. The division also inspects transfer stations, compost facilities, recycling centers, farmland mulch sites, convenience centers and automotive junk yards. The division also responds to complaints involving illegal dumping of waste.
Pollution
The Environmental Health Division of the Ocean County Health Department functions to ensure the health of the residents of Ocean County. This is accomplished through addressing problems concerning exposure to environmental contaminates by eliminating or minimizing pollutants in the air and water, and by controlling solid and hazardous wastes.
The public is protected against exposure to disease through the inspection of retail food establishments and monitoring of recreational bathing areas. This division enforces compliance of the laws governing environmental and public health and acts as a liaison for many state, county, and local health departments regarding these regulations.
The Environmental Division responsibilities include periodic inspections of a wide array of facilities and sites and responses to complaints received by the public pertaining to any environmental and/or public health safety problem. Investigations of the complaints cover numerous fields which include noise pollution, hazardous substances in ground water, insect and rodent control, heating problems in multi-unit dwellings, noxious weed
surface water pollution, and air pollution.
Hazardous Substances
The division responds to complaints generated by the NJDEP and by citizens regarding underground storage tanks located throughout the county. The division also monitors clean-up procedures that are taking place.
Note: The division maintains agreements with Berkeley Emergency Response Team to respond to emergency spills.
The division maintains qualified personnel to respond with the Ocean County Prosecutors office, to react to information on a bio-terrorist event or weapons of mass destruction.
The division also provides several employees that would monitor the county for radioactive discharges should there be an emergency at the nuclear power plant