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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9903_INSP_20180830FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 1 of 9 UNIT TYPE: Lined MSWLF LCID YW Transfer X Compost SLAS COUNTY: Yadkin Closed MSWLF HHW White goods Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 9903T CDLF Tire T&P / Collection Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE Date of Site Inspection: August 30, 2018 Date of Last Inspection: September 28, 2017 FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS: Yadkin County Solid Waste Transfer Facility 1149 Landfill Road Yadkinville, NC 27055 GPS COORDINATES: N: 36.181597 ° W: -80.638101 ° FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER: Name: Shannon Harris, Solid Waste Director – Yadkin County Telephone: (336) 849-7721 Email address: sharris@yadkincountync.gov FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS: Same as above PARTICIPANTS: Shannon Harris, Solid Waste Director – Yadkin County Gary Wyatt Earp, Operator – Hilco Transport, Inc. Susan Heim, Environmental Senior Specialist – Solid Waste Section STATUS OF PERMIT: Permit to Operate MSW Transfer Facility Issued: May 13, 1994 Permit Amendment and Renewal: June 19, 2008 Permit Modification: April 6, 2009 (change in disposal facilities) Permit Renewal: June 5, 2014 Permit to Operate Expired: May 31, 2018; renewal application currently under review by the Permitting Branch. PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT: Comprehensive Inspection STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS: None. OBSERVED VIOLATIONS: 1. 15A NCAC 13B .0203(d) states, “By receiving solid waste at a permitted facility, the permittee shall be considered to have accepted the conditions of the permit and shall comply with the conditions of the permit.” Permit to Operate No. 9903T-TRANSFER-1994, ATTACHMENT 3, PART VI, Transfer Station/Treatment and Processing Unit Specific Condition #48(a) states, “The tipping floor and transfer trailer loading area must be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition at all times and must be cleaned at least once daily in accordance with the approved Operational Plan.” FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 2 of 9 Yadkin County is in violation of 15A NCAC 13B .0203(d) for failing to maintain the tripping floor and transfer trailer loading area in a clean, sanitary condition. During this inspection, waste was observed to have accumulated on the steel beams on the walls surrounding the tipping floor and the loading bay. To achieve compliance, Yadkin County must clean the walls, steel beams and support structures of the transfer station building that surround the tipping floor and the loading bay, and remove the waste built up on these surfaces by September 24, 2018. A portion of the back wall of the transfer station where waste has been allowed to accumulate on the steel beam and deflector plate above the loading bay. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 3 of 9 A close-up view of the rear wall of the loading bay with waste accumulated on the steel panels, the beam and the support cable. Also note the hole in the loading bay wall, which is of ample size to allow waste to escape the transfer station. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 4 of 9 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 1. The facility is permitted as an MSW transfer station, and is also permitted to receive scrap tires, white goods, paper and plastic recyclables, and yard waste. Current operations also include electronics collection, and yard waste is placed into an LCID landfill located between the scale house and the transfer station, adjacent to the closed MSW landfill. The permit renewal application is currently under review by permitting staff, and will address these additional operations. 2. The facility is owned by Yadkin County. The county contracts with Republic Services to operate the transfer station; and, Republic Services subcontracts with Hilco Transport, Inc. to operate the facility and transport the waste to the disposal site. 3. The scale house is operated by Yadkin County staff, and initial screening of incoming loads is conducted by the scale house operator. Records Review: 4. The facility most recent Permit to Operate and the most recently approved Operational Plan were available at the scale house for review. 5. Tonnage reports were provided for the current fiscal year, covering material accepted at the landfill from July 1 through August 30, 2018. In addition, the 2017-18 Facility Annual Report was reviewed. These records indicated that a total of 25,838.15 tons of MSW waste, generated from within Yadkin County, had been received at the facility during fiscal year 2017-18, and transported to Foothills Regional Landfill (permit # 1403) for disposal. From July 1 through August 30, 2018, the facility received 4,248.44 tons of MSW waste. 6. Scrap tire records were reviewed for the current fiscal year. The county contracts with New River Tire Recycling for tire disposal services. During the period from July 1 through August 30, 2018, 104.62 tons of tires were collected and transported for disposal. Scrap tire certification forms for the current fiscal year were also available for review. 7. The county contracts with Metal Recyclers for CFC evacuation and recycling of white goods and scrap metal. No white goods had been sent to Metal Recyclers during the current fiscal year, so no tonnage information was available for July and August. 8. Electronics and televisions are also accepted at the facility for disposal. The county charges residents a fee for each television that is dropped off, due to the expense associated with their recycling/disposal. Synergy Electronics Recycling manages the televisions and electronics through a county contract. In July and August of 2018, a total of 13.75 tons of mixed electronics were transported to Synergy for processing. Ms. Harris pointed out that during this same period, 103 televisions were accepted at the facility from residents. She added that the majority of the electronics received at the facility is televisions. 9. Transfer station staff conduct waste screenings at the rate of 1 every other day. Based on an average of 40 incoming loads per day, this rate of screening is more than sufficient to meet the 1% requirement. Log sheets for the period January 1 through August 30, 2018 were available and reviewed. Each entry contained the hauler, type of wastes found, and the disposition of any unacceptable materials included in the load. When unacceptable materials are found, the customer is required to load them back into their vehicle and remove them from the facility. When tires, scrap metal or other materials that are accepted for disposal/recycling by the county are found, customers are instructed as to the proper disposal location within the facility. 10. A review of facility training records indicated that the following staff have current certifications: a. Gary Wyatt Earp – NCSWANA Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialist – expires 10/18/2021; b. Curtis Davis – NCSWANA Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialist – expires 9/3/2021; The item(s) listed above were observed by Section staff and require action on behalf of the facility in order to come into or maintain compliance with the Statutes, Rules, and/or other regulatory requirements applicable to this facility. Be advised that pursuant to N.C.G.S. 130A-22, an administrative penalty of up to $15,000 per day may be assessed for each violation of the Solid Waste Laws, Regulations, Conditions of a Permit, or Order under Article 9 of Chapter 130A of the N.C. General Statutes. Further, the facility and/or all responsible parties may also be subject to enforcement actions including penalties, injunction from operation of a solid waste management facility or a solid waste collection service and any such further relief as may be necessary to achieve compliance with the North Carolina Solid Waste Management Act and Rules. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 5 of 9 c. Chuck Jones – NCSWANA Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialist – expires 3/27/2021; d. Charlie Jones – NCSWANA Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialist – expires 3/27/2021; e. Jeff Loudermilk – NCSWANA Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialist – expires 3/23/2021. Field Inspection: 11. The areas surrounding the scale house, workshop, convenience center/drop off area and the transfer station were all clean and well-maintained. No windblown litter was evident outside of the transfer station building. 12. Access roadways are of all-weather construction and had been maintained in good condition. 13. Proper signage was observed at the entrance to the facility, and signs were posted near the gate that listed unacceptable materials. 14. All incoming waste is weighed as it enters the facility. The scale house operator screens each load and directs the customer as to the proper location for off-loading. 15. An unmanned convenience center where residents may drop off household recyclables, cardboard, electronics, televisions, tires and white goods is located just north of the scale house. Containers are labeled as to the materials they are designated to hold. 16. The recycling drop-off area is a gravel lot, maintained to prevent ponding water. Ruts caused by heavy vehicles and equipment are filled with inert debris, gravel and rocks and compacted to provide a stable surface for traffic. 17. Tire trailers, the cardboard container and the electronics trailer are all situated on a loading dock that allows easy access for customers. 18. Some cardboard was observed on the ground around the cardboard collection container. Ms. Harris stated that she would ensure that this material was returned to the container before the end of the day. Ensure that all waste in and around the recyclables collection containers is collected and returned to the correct container prior to the end of every operating day 19. Electronics are collected on a covered concrete pad, where facility staff sort and palletize materials and load them into the transport trailer. This area appeared to be clean and well-managed. The cover protects electronics from damage by rain and weather, and also provides a space for separating and palletizing the materials as they are accepted from the public. 20. White goods units that contain refrigerant are unloaded into a concrete bunker directly to the west of the electronics area. Units were observed to be stored in an upright manner and adequately spaced to prevent damage that could result in the loss of Freon. The white goods contractor, Metal Recyclers, removes refrigerant prior to loading up the white goods and scrap metal for 21. Scrap metal is unloaded onto a dirt pad located to the east of the workshop building, adjacent to the closed MSW landfill. Residents are directed to this area by the scale house operator, and the customers unload and return to the scale house to weight out. No facility staff is available to monitor the activity in this area. As a result, unacceptable materials are left at the site for staff to pick through and clean up daily. During this inspection, a scrap tire, a patio umbrella and several plastic chairs were observed in the scrap metal pile. Ms. Harris stated that these items would be removed before close of business, and provided photos after the inspection confirming it. Ensure that all unacceptable materials are removed from the scrap metal collection area as it accumulates, and at the end of every operating day. It is recommended that the scrap metal collection operation be reorganized so that staff can monitor the unloading process. It is also recommended that the scrap metal stockpile be relocated to a concrete pad or other paved area, to avoid storing waste on the ground and also to prevent fluids and other liquids that leak from machinery and other articles in the pile from coming into contact with the soil. 22. Yard waste and land clearing debris is collected in an area just east of the scrap metal stockpile. Ms. Harris stated that the wood waste is pushed off into an LCID landfill as necessary. This operation will need to be clarified on the facility site plan, in the revised Operations Plan and in the permit renewal. 23. Inspection of the LCID landfill at close range was not possible during this inspection. The area is not approachable on foot from the working face, and the ground is too wet on the end of the fill area nearest to the FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 6 of 9 transfer station. However, from a vantage point on the access road in the vicinity of the empty transport trailers, it did not appear that the waste was compacted or covered. Ms. Harris stated that facility staff had been working to cover the waste but had been hampered by the continual heavy rain events that had been occurring throughout the summer. Ensure that all waste in the LCID landfill is covered with clean soil at least once a month, or when the active area reaches an acre in size, as required by 15A NCAC 13B .0566(4). It is recommended that a cover log be established that includes the date that cover was applied to the landfill and the amount of soil used to achieve the required cover. 24. Empty transport trailers are parked along the access roadway leading to the transfer station, All five of the empty trailers located in this area were inspected and found to be in very good condition, with no tears in the external sheet metal sides or undersides, and no evidence of leaks. Each trailer was outfitted with a tarp. Mr. Earp stated that the trailers are inspected quarterly, and he pointed out the date that had been marked on each, denoting when the next inspection was due to take place. He added that he inspects the tarp fasteners on each trailer himself, and explained that he had begun to replace the rigid aluminum fasteners with a more flexible rubber version that he expects will wear longer. 25. The approach drive leading to the transfer station tipping floor was found to be of all-weather construction and in good condition. The clean gravel drive appeared to be well compacted, providing an even, stable surface for maneuvering vehicles and equipment onto and off the tipping floor. 26. The transfer station tipping floor was observed to be in good condition. The interior walls of the transfer building were found to be covered with a waste residue, and the steel beams and support cables had a heavy waste accumulation. Mr. Earp stated that he washes down the floor and push walls daily, and also tries to wash the waste off the building walls with his hose. He explained that the hose will only reach the very lowest levels of the walls. When asked for an estimation as to the last time the transfer station building had been pressure washed, Mr. Earp stated that pressure washing and repairs to the building walls had been done immediately following the fire that had taken place on the tipping floor in November of 2016. Ensure that maintenance is performed on the interior of the transfer station building including cleaning and repairing the walls, beams and support cables, the deflector panels, push walls and tipping floor. Preventive maintenance of this nature must be performed on a regular basis to ensure that the transfer station is maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. (See the Observed Violations section of this report for additional information.) 27. Fire extinguishers and a water hose are available for use at the entrance to the tipping floor. 28. The tipping floor is sloped to direct leachate to the opening to the loading bay, which is located at the rear of the tipping floor. In the loading bay, a large, square drain collects the leachate and directs it to a holding tank, where it is pumped and hauled to the Town of Yadkinville’s waste water treatment plant weekly. The drain is covered by a heavy metal plate with a series of round holes designed to catch the solids and allow the liquid to drain. No information was available about how often the solids separator is emptied and cleaned out. (Note: this information has been requested in the permit renewal application review letter, dated January 4, 2018.) 29. A partially full transfer trailer was parked in the loading bay at the time of this inspection. An inspection of the trailer found it to be in good condition, with no leaks, cracks or punctures in the sheet metal body evident. An accumulation of trash was seen on the inside wall of the loading bay, where waste slips between the side of the trailer and the loading bay wall. Mr. Earp stated that he cleans out the loading bay after every 3rd trailer is loaded, and would be doing so when the current trailer moves out. An accumulation of waste was visible on the outside wall of the loading bay, and on the steel beams and support cables as well. Ensure that the loading bay is cleaned as often as necessary throughout the work day and at the end of every operating day. (See the Observed Violations section of this report for additional information.) 30. Chain link fence sections are installed along the east side of the tipping floor approach drive. Mr. Earp stated that this fencing had been very successful in reducing windblown litter. He added that he had recently completed the installation of a wire mesh fencing in the area between the transfer trailer access roadway and the closed C&D landfill. Some fencing material was observed on the western side of the transfer station, and Mr. Earp explained that he would be installing this fencing along the western side of the transfer station approach drive as an additional means of controlling windblown litter. 31. The area at the rear of the transfer station is gravel, and serves as a storage location for roll-off containers not currently in use. In addition, the grease/solids separator and leachate holding tank are located in this area, next to the rear wall of the transfer station. The area surrounding the transfer station building was found to be clean FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 7 of 9 and well-maintained. 32. Several large pieces of metal plate were observed next to the rear wall of the transfer station. Mr. Earp stated that these metal panels had been used as deflector plates, and had been removed from the transfer station. Ensure that these pieces of scrap metal are removed from the transfer station and stored in the scrap metal area until they are removed from the facility by the white goods contractor. A view from the access roadway approaching the transfer station. The area is clean and well-maintained, with no windblown litter in evidence. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 8 of 9 A view of the area between the transfer trailer and the inside wall of the loading bay where trash has accumulated as trailers are filled. This area must be cleaned throughout the day as necessary, and at the end of every operating day. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 9 of 9 Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report. ________________________________________ Phone: (336) 776-9672 Susan Heim Environmental Senior Specialist Regional Representative Sent on: September 10, 2018 to Lisa Hughes, County Manager, and Shannon Harris. X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _] Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor – Solid Waste Section Allen Gaither, Permitting Engineer – Solid Waste Section John Isenhour, Operations Manager – Republic Services A view of the entrance to the transfer station tipping floor from the approach drive. Loads of trash are staged for tipping into specific areas of the transfer trailer to help achieve load density and even distribution of weight.