0303T_INSP_20210421

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 4

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer X Compost X SLAS COUNTY: Alleghany
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods X Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 0303T-TRANSFER-1994
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection X Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: April 21, 2021 Date of Last Inspection: January 17, 2020

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Alleghany County Transfer Facility
419 Osbourne Road
Sparta, North Carolina 28675

GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 36.49343 Long.: -81.14980

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: David Spicer, Public Works Director
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 366
Sparta, North Carolina 28675

PARTICIPANTS:
David Spicer, Public Works Director – Alleghany County
Andy Harris, Facility Supervisor – Alleghany County
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section

STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit to Operate the Alleghany County Transfer Facility was issued to Alleghany County on October 11, 2019.
This permit was for the life-of-site of the facility.

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection

STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None

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 4

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1. The facility consists of a transfer facility, a used oil collection area, white goods collection area, tire collection
area, metal collection area, and a Small Type-1 Compost Facility.
2. The facility is permitted to receive municipal solid waste generated within areas consistent with the service area of
the receiving landfill. Waste must be transported for disposal to an appropriately permitted sanitary landfill.
3. A recycling center is located within a building adjacent to the transfer station. Since the previous inspection, the
recycling center has ceased operations. However, Alleghany County is currently working to re-establish a
recycling program.
4. A gate was located at the entrance to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.
5. The facility had proper signage.

Records Review:

6. The Permit to Operate and Operations Plan were discussed. A current copy of the permit was available upon request.
However, facility staff could not present a copy of the Operations Plan. It is required that all records required to be
maintained by the permittee be maintained at the facility, unless otherwise approved by the Section, and made
available to the Section upon request during normal business hours. A copy of the Operations Plan has been attached
to this inspection report.
7. Tonnage records for June 2020 through April 20, 2021 were verified. The facility received 10,701.02-tons of waste
during this time.
8. No temperature records were available for review as no grinding or composting operations of vegetative debris had
taken place since the last comprehensive inspection.
9. Transfer Station Operations Specialist Certifications:
x Dempse Bowlin (expires 10/19/22)
x Justin Hall (expires 3/9/24)
x Steven Harris (expires 10/19/22)
10. Waste screening reports were verified for October 2020 to present. Screenings appeared to have been performed
with adequate frequency and provided good documentation of observed unacceptable waste streams and final
disposition of those wastes.

Operations Inspection of the Transfer Station:

11. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
12. During previous inspections, several pieces of plywood at the top of the push walls had been displaced on both
sides of the transfer facility tipping floor. It was requested that the plywood be repaired to prevent waste being
deposited behind the push walls.
x Inspection of the facility on April 21, 2021 found all plywood at the top of the push walls had been
repaired. Thank-you for your attention in this matter.
13. During previous inspections, a portion of the steel above the small office area in the transfer facility had been
pulled back allowing waste to be caught between the steel and the top of the push wall. It was requested that the
steel be repaired.
x Inspection of the facility on April 21, 2021 found the subject damaged portion of steel had been removed
and replaced with plywood. Thank-you for your attention in this matter. Please continue to monitor the
repaired area to ensure the plywood is not damaged by facility activities.
14. The interior walls of the facility had been pressure washed since the last inspection.
15. During the inspection, a portion of the steel floor had separated at the entrance to the tipping floor. Mr. Spicer
explained the County recently had an engineering study performed to explore repair options, and funds had been
placed in the County’s budget to have the floor repaired. Please continue efforts to ensure the floor is repaired.
16. Windblown waste was well controlled.
17. The floor of the transfer trailer loading bay was free of waste and well managed.

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 3 of 4

18. Leachate drains within the floor of the transfer trailer loading bay could not be observed during the inspection due
to a trailer being located within the bay. However, there was no evidence observed indicating that the drains were
not functioning properly.

Operations Inspection of the White Goods Area:

19. White goods are collected on a covered concrete pad south of the transfer station building.
20. All white goods were observed standing in an upright condition at the time of inspection.
21. No food wastes were observed on the concrete pad.
22. A significant improvement in operations of the white goods area was observed. Thank-you for your efforts to
improve operations of this area.

Operations Inspection of the Scrap Tire Collection Area:

23. Scrap tires were being collected into two covered trailers southeast of the transfer facility building.
24. All tires were maintained within the designated trailers at the time of inspection. This area was well managed.

Operations Inspection of the Type-1 Compost Area:

25. No compost operations have occurred at the site since the previous comprehensive inspection. The County is
currently waiting on a contractor to grind the material.
26. Multiple pieces of plywood were observed within the grinding area at the time of inspection. Engineered wood
produces are not acceptable waste streams for compost operations. Please ensure all engineered wood products
such as plywood are removed for proper disposal. Any such material observed during grinding operations must
also be removed.
27. Please ensure that the stockpile of unground material does not encroach on the footprint of the closed landfill.

Supporting Comments:

28. A 500-gallon above-ground storage tank is provided adjacent to the entrance to the transfer facility building for
collection of used oil. The facility had recently purchased a new fuel tank and relocated it adjacent to the used oil
tank. Mr. Spicer explained that the County is currently looking to build a secondary containment unit around the
storage tanks in the near future.
29. Used pesticide containers are collected into a covered trailer adjacent to the trailers designated for used tire
collection. All containers were maintained within the designated trailer at the time of inspection.
30. A beneficial fill area is located west of the transfer facility building. During the inspection, multiple pieces of
pained block were observed within the fill material. It was discussed that all unacceptable material must be
removed from the beneficial fill area for proper disposal.
x On April 22, 2021 and April 28, 2021, Mr. Andy Harris provided multiple photos showing that all painted
material had been removed from the beneficial fill area. Mr. Harris confirmed by phone on April 28, 2021
that all painted material was taken to the transfer facility building for proper disposal.
x Please ensure that unacceptable waste streams are not disposed within the beneficial fill area.
x As discussed on site, it is recommended that signs be installed informing the public what types of material
are acceptable for disposal in this area.

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 4 of 4

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: 5/4/21 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - 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: 2021.05.04 15:49:25 -04'00'
1 

Permit Renewal for 
Alleghany County Transfer Station Facility 
Site and Operation Plan 
1. Introduction and Background 
This Operation plan has been created on behalf of the Alleghany County Transfer Station Facility 
(Permit 03‐03T).  Operations at this Facility will be conducted in agreement with this plan, the North 
Carolina Solid Waste Management Rules and generally sound environmental and waste 
management practices. 
The Alleghany County Transfer Station has its waste transported to Foothills Environmental Landfill 
in Caldwell County, NC by KRD Trucking.  This landfill is a lined waste management Facility (Permit 
14‐03.  On occasion Alleghany County’s waste may be transported to any properly permitted 
Republic Services of NC, LLC owned facility.  (I.e. BFI‐ Motor Speedway Landfill, Charlotte, NC‐ permit 
# 13‐04). 
2. Facility Location 
The Alleghany County Transfer Station is located in Sparta, North Carolina.  The Facility, which is 
owned and operated by Alleghany County, is approximately 2 miles west of the intersection of US 21 
and NC 18 in Sparta, North Carolina on Osborne Road. 
The physical address is as follows: 
Alleghany County Transfer Station 
419 Osborne Road 
Sparta, NC 28675 

The mailing address is as follows: 

Alleghany County Transfer Station 
PO Box 366 
Sparta, NC 28675 
3. Facility Owner 
The Transfer Station facilities are owned and operated by Alleghany County.  The key personnel 
associated with operations are: 
County Manager      Josh Greene, Public Works Director 
PO Box 366       PO Box 366 
Sparta, NC 28675      Sparta, NC 28675 
Phone: 336‐372‐4179     Phone: 336‐372‐2010 
Revised October 2019 
2 

4. Facility Description 
The main MSW transfer structure is a wood frame building constructed on a concrete slab, covered 
with ½” steel plates and has a block retaining wall.  It is enclosed on three sides, keeping one open 
side for accessibility for incoming vehicles to the tipping floor.  The tipping floor encompasses and 
area of approximately 1,824 square feet (48’x38’). A transfer trailer is positioned in the loading bay 
under the tipping floor.  Incoming loads are discarded onto the steel tipping floor where the waste is 
compacted into the trailer located on the lower level.  Leachate that is generated from normal 
activities and regular washing of the tipping floor is collected through drains in the lower level floor.  
These drains empty into an on‐site holding tank which is pumped out by a licensed septage hauler 
and disposed into a leachate treatment Facility.  Any solid waste not removed from the Transfer 
Station is stored in an enclosed transfer trailer overnight. 
5. Source, Types, and Quantities of Waste 
The primary source of municipal solid waste is from residential, commercial, and industrial facilities 
located within Alleghany County.  The transfer station will be used for the handling and conveyance 
of municipal solid waste generated within Alleghany County, but may receive wastes from other 
counties given certain conditions.  The facility will only accept solid waste as define in G.S. 130A‐290 
(35).  Any hazardous, liquid, or other prohibited material found in the waste stream shall be 
removed and held for proper disposal.  The waste will be transferred to the site in publicly and 
privately‐owned vehicles of various types and sizes. 
July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, the Alleghany County Transfer Station accepted 10,994 tons of 
MSW, which equates to approximately 916 tons per month.  This rate is expected to continue 
growing as the amount of Alleghany County population increases. 
6. Operation Plan 
The Alleghany County Transfer Station Facility is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00am until 
6:45pm allowing the employees to wash down the tipping floor each evening.  The Facility will be 
closed in the observance of the following holidays: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. 
Waste collection and transportation vehicles are weighed in at the scale house and again weighed 
upon departure.  Signs are posted directing traffic to the proper areas for disposal of the respective 
material.  MSW in unloaded onto the tipping floor, where it will be gathered and moved into the 
transfer trailer.  The operator, who is responsible for observing the contents of each load, will take 
action if unsuitable waste is received. 

Revised October 2019 
3 

A. The following are other activities that occur at the Transfer Station Facility: 
 Used tires are stacked into a storage trailer.  When the trailer is full the County contacts a 
private contractor to haul the tires to New River Tire in Pilot Mtn. North Carolina for 
disposal.  The County received and disposed of approximately 250 tons of tires last year. 
 A recycling warehouse is on site and run by a private individual who leases the warehouse 
from the County at no charge.  The recyclables are separated on site, bundled and stored in 
trailers until enough materials are ready for market 
 The Alleghany County Transfer Station Facility accepts used oil from their residents.  The 
operators pour the used oil into a storage container.  The storage container is confined 
within four block walls and sits directly on a concrete slab.  The Alleghany County Transfer 
Station Facility also accepts used oil filters.  The used oil filters are deposited into a Plastic 
Trash cans.  When the storage container and/or the filter can become full, the operators 
contact Universal Environmental Services, Browns Summit, NC to collect the stored oil and 
used oil filters.  The County collects approximately 2,139 gallons of used oil each year. 
 There is a Small Type 1 compost facility that accepts yard waste such as grass clippings, 
leaves, brush, pallets and other debris which is disposed of in a designated area behind the 
white goods building.  Small type 1 facilities received less than 1,000 cubic yards of material 
for composting each quarter, occupy less than two acres of land and store less than 6,000 
cubic yards of material per quarter.  An example of a 6,000 cubic yard stockpile is one that is 
a 200 ft. square and approximately 4 ft. high.  The County stores the yard waste onsite until 
the fall when the county contracts out grinding of waste for mulch.  The mulch shall be 
placed in windrows, within approx. 3 wind rows holding approx. 2,000 cubic yards per wind 
row, and turned at least once per year.  The temperature of the windrows shall be 
maintained at or above 131 degrees Fahrenheit for (3) consecutive days, and aerated to 
maintain these elevated temperatures.  In the winter and spring, the county offers the 
mulch to their residents. 
 White Goods are collected at the dedicated building within the Transfer Station Facility.  Any 
white goods, which contain Freon, are separated from the other metal material.  A private 
contractor removes the Freon from the disposed appliance then paints a large “X” on the 
appliance so the county knows which appliances they can crush and have hauled away.  A 
private contractor hauls the crushed white goods once a month to Gordons Iron and Metal 
in Statesville, NC.  The County receives the proceeds from the sale of the metal.  The County 
collects and recycles approximately 100 tons of white goods per year. 

Revised October 2019 
4 

 The scale house is open during normal operating hours.  Vehicles transporting MSW will be 
stopped and weighed before and after trips to the Transfer Station building 
 In accordance with rule 15A NCAC 13B .0562, the Facility receives beneficial fill material 
consisting of only inert debris strictly limited to clean concrete, brick, concrete block, 
uncontaminated soil, rock, and gravel. 
 The County instructs their residents to dispose of lead batteries at an auto parts store 
equipped to handle them.  The County has no household hazardous waste program. 
 The County currently contracts with Synergy Recycling, LLC to recycle electronics.  
Electronics includes (but not limited to) computers, printers, televisions, and all peripheral 
items.  I.e. monitors, CPU’s, keyboards, speakers.  Synergy recycling, LLC provides the 
County with trailers, pallets and Gaylord boxes to collect these items.  The County properly 
packs these items onto the trailer when dropped off by citizens.  The County contacts 
Synergy Recycling when pickup is required.  Synergy Recycling delivers an empty trailer to 
the County when it comes to pick up the fully loaded trailer.  In FY 17/18 (July 1, 2017‐June 
30, 2018), Alleghany County recycled 4.59 tons of televisions and 1.43 tons of all other 
electronics.  
B.  Equipment 
The equipment, which is used at the Transfer Station Facility, is owned and operated by 
Alleghany County.  County personnel conduct preventive and other maintenance to ensure the 
equipment remains in good operational condition.  The following equipment is used at the 
Facility: 
 2 front end wheel loaders 
 1 front end track loader 
 5 open top transfer trailers 
 4 roll off containers 
 1 mini‐track hoe 
The wheel loaders collect the waste from the Facility’s tipping floor.  Based on the current waste 
volume rates, the transfer Station can be managed with one wheel loader and a backup wheel 
loader (in case of break downs), the track loader which is used to move yard waste, and the 
mini‐track hoe which crushes white goods and loads them on trailer. 

Revised October 2019 
5 

C.  Personnel 
The County employees (4) workers at the Transfer Station Facility.  The employees rotate on a 
six‐day on, six‐day off schedule.  At all times during standard operating hours there are two (2) 
employees working.  The County employees an additional four (4) maintenance workers whose 
duties include providing assistance at the Transfer Station Facility.  All employees are routinely 
trained in safety issues such as recognizing and managing hazardous waste, fire prevention and 
firefighting, and other emergency and safety related topics.  First aid supplies and fire 
extinguishers are provided at the Facility.  All employees are required to immediately report all 
work related injuries and illnesses.  All staff members are provided with the necessary safety 
equipment including gloves, dust masks, safety shoes, earplugs, safety glasses and related 
protective items as needed. 
D.  Waste Transfer 
All vehicles will be weighed at the scale and then proceed to the Transfer Station or appropriate 
location.  A two‐lane all‐weather access road will be maintained between the scale house and 
Transfer Station.  Vehicles hauling MSW will back up to the Transfer Station and unload onto the 
tipping floor.  A visual inspection is performed by the Transfer Station attendant to ensure only 
authorized waste is accepted.  A wheel loader pushes the waste onto the transfer trailer.  Once 
full, the trailer is transported by KRD Trucking to Foothills Environmental Landfill in Caldwell 
County, NC (Permit # 14‐03).  A standby empty transfer trailer replaces the departing trailer. 
Outgoing trailers are weighed at the scale house for bookkeeping purposes and to ensure no 
overloaded vehicles will enter North Carolina Roads.  Weight records of MSW are maintained at 
the Facility and are used in preparation for the annual reports submitted to NC DENR DIVISION 
of SOLID WASTE. 
E.  Leachate Management 
The tipping floor is cleaned by hosing it down and sweeping it with a push broom.  Leachate 
generated at the Facility, as a result of daily operations and cleanings, is collected by drains in 
the lower level floor.  These drains lead to a grease/oil separator prior to entering the onsite 
1,000 gallon holding tank.  The holding tank is pumped out on an as‐needed basis and is hauled 
by a licensed hauler to a leachate treatment plant. 
F.  Hazard and Nuisance Control 
Hazard and nuisance control for the MSW Transfer Station Facility is vital for proper 
management and efficient operations.  The attributing factors to any waste transfer process 
include prohibited or unauthorized waste materials, fire, odors, disease, noise, dust, and litter.  
The Material Screening process conforms to NCAC 15A.13B.0402 (2).  Key elements of this plan 
consist of: 

Revised October 2019 
6 

1. Training of personnel to recognize regulated hazardous and unacceptable waste, including 
asbestos materials. 
2. Visual inspection of each load that comes into the Facility, as well as random checks of 
loads. 
3. A contingency plan to correctly manage any proscribed waste. 
G.  Training of Facility Personnel: 
Anyone working at the Facility will be trained to identify suspicious, hazardous and unacceptable 
waste based on visual and odor characteristics.  Each individual who works at the transfer 
station as a full‐time employee stays up to date on their (Transfer Station Operations Specialist) 
through NCSWANA.  The Maintenance Supervisor or any personnel trained to identify and 
manage hazardous and liquid waste will administer inspections. 
H.  Visual Inspections: 
These shall include observations of each truckload at the scale, unloading their shipment onto 
the tipping floor and observation before pushing the waste into the trailer.  The truck and driver 
will be detained if objectionable material is found during the unloading process. 
I. Random Load Inspections: 
These are performed to abide by the minimum requirement of 1% screening of waste.  This 
percentage can be raised depending on the type and nature of the incoming waste.  
Methodology for choosing the load to be examined will be based on: 
 The probability that a load may contain proscribed waste based on type of business 
served or type of hauler involved. 
 A random selection process that will ensure any load can be checked. 
 The ability to distinguish and check “suspicious” loads. 
The shipment will be examined for prohibited and or hazardous waste: 
 Asbestos containing material; 
 Containers with hazardous labels or markings; 
 Containers with liquids, oils, paints, varnishes, etc.; 
 Drums or commercial sized containers; 
 Material with “chemical odors”, dust, powder, smoke or vapors; 
 Materials with bright or unusual colors; 
 Regulated biochemical waste; 
 Sludges, biomass, etc.; and 
 Waste banned from landfill disposal by North Carolina Statutes 

Revised October 2019 
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J.  Fire: 
The MSW Transfer Station Facility is equipped with fire extinguishers.  Qualified personnel 
will conduct routine inspections for the fire prevention equipment.  A qualified person will 
train all staff members in effective firefighting procedures and prevention.  There shall be no 
smoking allowed on the tipping floor or in the recycling center.  No flammable liquids stored 
in or around the MSW Transfer Station will be allowed.  A hose and water supply is located 
ate Transfer Station for firefighting measures and in the case of a fire, the local fire 
department will be contacted by calling 911. 
K.  Litter: 
The implementation of covered transfer vehicles, staff supervision and fenced facility is used 
to prevent litter.  Windblown material will be picked up and discarded at the end of each 
operating day. 
L.  Odors and Vectors: 
Measures taken to control odors and disease vectors include immediate removal of waste, 
invariable washing of the tipping floor and covering of any partial loads which may remain 
outside overnight.  If vectors are discovered, adequate extermination measures are taken.  
The tipping floor area is empty and clean at the end of every working day. 
M.  Dust: 
The access road to the Transfer Station is paved to help lessen the problems associated with 
dust.  The Facility itself is located in a rural area. 
N.  Noise: 
The tract of land on which the Transfer Station Facility is located has ample buffer to soften 
most noise pollution.  Current levels are not expected to change. 

Revised October 2019   
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