Maine City to Begin Enforcing Junkyard Rules

The Biddeford, Maine, Planning Board has begun enforcing local legislations that go along with state mandated policies that are already “on the books.” According to Tim Nelson, code enforcement officer for the city, there are eight companies in the city that fall under the standards.

While the city has attempted to create a dialog with the eight operators over the past three months, each of the companies are mandated to have an acceptable operation by the end of this year if they are to receive a permit to operate in 2003.

Some of the problems Nelson has seen include failure to drain fluids from automobiles and mercury switches not removed from junk automobiles.

But complaints from local business owners sent the changes back to the Policy Committee, which will review the amendments again in February. Nelson said the meeting, Feb. 10, will be with affected companies, and will focus on more specifically categorizing the different types of companies, including scrap yards, recycling centers, and junkyard.

Junkyards and similar businesses apply for new licenses each year. The proposed changes provide more specific definitions for the businesses and give junkyards a separate land-use category. There would also be new, and in some cases higher, license fees.