It shall be unlawful to fail to comply with, or to cause or assist in the violation of, any of the provisions of this act or rules and regulations adopted hereunder; or to fail to comply with any order, permit, registration or certification requirement of the department; or to cause a public nuisance; or to cause air, soil or water pollution; or to hinder, obstruct, prevent or interfere with the department or its personnel in the performance of any duty hereunder; or to violate the provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4903 (relating to false swearing) or 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities) in regard to papers required to be submitted under this act. The owner or operator of a storage tank and the landowner or occupier on whose land a storage tank is or was located shall not allow pollution resulting from, or a release to occur from, a storage tank.