1806_INSP_20200110

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 3

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer Compost X SLAS COUNTY: Catawba
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 1806-COMPOST-
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: January 10, 2020 Date of Last Inspection: January 8, 2019

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
City of Hickory Compost Facility
702 Cloninger Mill Road
Hickory, North Carolina 28601

GPS COORDINATES: Lat.: 35.78609 Long.: 81.30431

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Andrew Ballentine, Solid Waste Manager
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 398
Hickory, North Carolina 28603

PARTICIPANTS:
Andrew Ballentine, Solid Waste Manager – City of Hickory
Jason White, Stormwater Engineer – City of Hickory
Eric Geitner, Construction Inspector – City of Hickory
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section
Kim Sue, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section

STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit to Operate a Large Type 1 Solid Waste Compost Facility was issued to the City of Hickory on January 3,
2018. The permit shall expire on June 8, 2022.

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection

STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None Observed.

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 2 of 3

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1. The facility consists of a Large Type 1 Solid Waste Compost Facility. Compost is produced from brush, leaves,
limbs, and grass clippings. Mulch is produced from land clearing debris.
2. Gates were provided at each entrance to prevent unauthorized access. Both gates were open at the time of
inspection as City of Hickory staff were on site.
3. The facility had proper signage.
4. The Permit to Operate and Operations Plan were verified. The documents were current and available upon request.
Both documents were being maintained in a three-ring binder located inside a storage shed on the west side of the
site near the west entrance.
5. Temperature records were housed within the storage shed on the west side of the site. Temperature records were
verified during the inspection.
x Temperature records were verified for temperatures recorded on 3/16/19, 3/23/19, and 3/29/19.
Temperatures were recorded in excess of 131˚F with the exception of one particular spot on the windrow
where temperatures were recorded at 129˚F on 3/16/19 and 130˚F on 3/23/19. Temperatures in this
particular portion of the windrow were recorded at 132˚F on 3/29/19.
x Please ensure that future temperature records clearly show that compost has been maintained at
131˚F for 3 consecutive days. It is recommended that frequency of temperature recordings be
increased to ensure that the compost is meeting the temperature requirements.
6. During the inspection, one stockpile of unground leaves, two stockpiles of ground mulch, and one small stockpile
of finished compost were on site. Mr. Ballentine stated that leaves were being pushed into a pile with equipment to
prepare for grinding next week. Mr. Ballentine explained that once leaves are ground, they will be placed into
windrows for composting. Please ensure that windrows are limited to 15-feet high by 25 feet high as required by
the approved permit.
7. Since the previous inspection a stormwater basin has been installed on site as part of the facility’s Stormwater
Management Plan. A diversion swale has also been installed along the north side of the site to divert off-site
stormwater.
x Please continue efforts to stabilize the diversion swale that is diverting off-site stormwater.
x Please contact David Giachini, Permitting Engineer, to discuss the possible need for a revised site map.
Mr. Giachini can be reached at [phone] or [e-mail].
8. A small amount of unground wood waste was observed within the designated storage area on the west side of the
site.
9. Site conditions were extremely wet due to recent heavy rains.
10. No off-site sedimentation was observed.
11. No offensive odors were observed.
12. Good access was provided around stockpiles of ground and unground material to provide access by firefighting
equipment.
13. All stockpiles of processed material appeared to meet the maximum allowable dimensions of 30-feet high and 50-
feet wide.
14. It appeared that all required setbacks were being maintained.

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 3 of 3

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.

________________________________________ Phone: [phone]
Charles T. Gerstell
Environmental Senior Specialist
Regional Representative

Sent on: 1/17/20 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section
David Giachini, Permitting Engineer – Solid Waste Section
Digitally signed by Charles T. Gerstell
DN: cn=Charles T. Gerstell, o=Divsion of Waste
Management, ou=Solid Waste Section,
email=[e-mail], c=US
Date: 2020.01.17 15:54:46 -05'00'