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The Spector-Woodbridge Company, LLC site is alleged to contain illegal solid waste and fill on land that includes protected wetlands and waterfront development areas
5-02-2025 2:56pm
State Cracks Down on Illegal Waste Sites in Overburdened NJ Communities
NEW JERSEY - On Thursday, May 1, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced the filing of three new environmental enforcement actions targeting illegal junkyard and waste facilities in Hamilton, Kearny, and Woodbridge—areas identified as "overburdened communities" under the state’s Environmental Justice Law.
The legal actions are part of a broader initiative under the Murphy Administration to address longstanding environmental harms disproportionately affecting communities with high concentrations of low-income residents, people of color, or non-English speakers. Including these most recent cases, the state has now filed 75 environmental justice-related lawsuits or enforcement actions since 2018.
“Every resident in every community of our state deserves to live free from environmental harm. That’s what environmental justice means, and it’s why we remain fully committed to this critical work,” said Attorney General Platkin. “When we enforce our laws and hold violators of the law accountable, we help vulnerable neighborhoods recover from disproportionate exposure to pollution and environmental harm. We are grateful for DEP’s work in close collaboration with our office, and we will continue our work together to rid our state of this toxic legacy.”
The three new complaints, all filed in Superior Court, are as follows:
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Kearny (Hudson County): The State filed suit against multiple defendants associated with the estate of Harold Faulk concerning a 12-acre site that has allegedly operated as an illegal junkyard. The complaint alleges violations of land use, solid waste, hazardous waste, and water pollution laws. The State seeks cleanup of the property, cessation of unpermitted activities, and civil penalties.
Illegal Junkyard at Estate of Harold Faulk-
Hamilton (Mercer County): A complaint was filed against Hakim International Trading and Marketing, Hakim Enterprises, and their owner, Joseph Hakim, for allegedly operating illegal solid and hazardous waste facilities on a 2-acre parcel on Whitehead Road. The site is reported to contain unsecured, flammable, and asbestos-containing materials within a designated Flood Hazard Area.
Hakim International Trading and Marketing, Hakim Enterprises-
Woodbridge (Middlesex County): The State filed a motion for contempt against Spector-Woodbridge Company, LLC, and owner William Spector for failure to comply with two previous consent orders. The site is alleged to contain illegal solid waste and fill on land that includes protected wetlands and waterfront development areas.
Spector-Woodbridge Company, LLC, and owner William SpectorIn addition to the court filings, the DEP issued an administrative order and notice of violation to Spray-Tek, Inc., a spray drying facility located near several overburdened communities in Middlesex Borough. The order alleges that Spray-Tek has operated spray drying equipment without the required pollution control systems and demands reinstatement of the equipment and payment of $239,700 in civil penalties. Spray-Tek has requested a hearing with the Office of Administrative Law.
Spray-Tek, Inc., a spray drying facility located near several overburdened communitiesSeparately, the State finalized a settlement agreement with KAARS, Inc., an auto recycling company based in Trenton, also in an overburdened community. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, accused KAARS and owner Isam Abuhumoud of mismanaging auto scrap and hazardous materials, leading to violations of multiple environmental laws. Under the settlement, KAARS agreed to correct the violations, enhance its site controls, and pay $100,000 in penalties.
KAARS, Inc., an auto recycling company based in TrentonThe cases are being prosecuted by the Environmental Enforcement and Environmental Justice Section of the Division of Law’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Practice Group, with support from multiple DEP program areas including: Air, Energy and Materials Sustainability, Contaminated Site Remediation, Watershed and Land Management, and the Office of Environmental Justice.
New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law, enacted in 2020, mandates stricter oversight of pollution sources near vulnerable communities. The law directs the DEP to give greater consideration to the cumulative impacts of pollution in areas that have historically borne a disproportionate share of environmental burdens.
Residents who witness or suspect environmental violations can report them through the WARN DEP mobile app, by calling 1-800-WARN-DEP (1-800-927-6337), or by emailing environmentaljustice@dep.nj.gov.
