The massive fire at the scrap-metal facility EMR Recycling in Camden this year has galvanized action in Trenton. On December 4, 2025, a suite of bills introduced by William F. Moen Jr. cleared committee — a major step toward tighter oversight of scrap-metal and recycling operations across New Jersey.
Moen emphasizes that the legislation isn’t just about preventing facility fires — it’s about protecting neighborhoods, ensuring environmental justice, and holding companies accountable. “Clear rules and strong oversight help keep our communities clean and our environment safe,” he said.
What the legislation would do
Require scrap-metal yards to operate under the regulatory standards of recycling facilities (under New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP).
Mandate quarterly audits to ensure banned items aren’t on site, and enforce the installation of remotely operated fire-suppression systems.
For facilities receiving state subsidies: if they violate environmental rules, they must forfeit a portion of those subsidies or pay to address the damage — with money going to a new “Environmental Incident Recovery Fund” to support affected residents.
Why Now: The Camden Fires That Sparked Change
Timeline of Major Incidents
Feb 21, 2025 — A four-alarm blaze breaks out at the EMR facility in Camden, sending toxic smoke hundreds of feet into the air and visible for miles. The fire burned for over six hours, forced around 100 residents (including seniors, children, and disabled individuals) to evacuate, closed roads, and raised serious public-health and environmental alarms.
The fire was initially blamed on a lithium-ion battery mistakenly sent to the scrap yard — a material the facility wasn’t equipped to handle.
This was reportedly the sixth fire at the same site since 2016, though it was the largest and most destructive by far.
The scale and repetition of those fires — and the resulting displacement and distress for residents — made it painfully clear that existing safety and regulatory frameworks were inadequate.
It was this pattern of danger, insecurity, and neglect that propelled Moen’s legislation forward.
What Comes Next — And Why It Matters Beyond Camden
With the bills clearing committee, the next step is full legislative approval. If passed, the new rules will transform how scrap-metal facilities operate statewide — not just in Camden. This is especially relevant as more old-car batteries, electronics, and lithium-ion batteries (common in EVs and electronics) enter the scrap-metal stream.
For communities across New Jersey, these changes promise:
stronger protections from fire and hazardous-waste risk;
greater accountability for reckless operators;
clearer standards for scrap recycling — balancing economic activity with public safety.
As Assemblyman Moen put it, the goal is to prevent “future disasters like this one” and ensure companies can’t jeopardize communities, pollute our neighborhoods, or exploit lax oversight for profit.
