6036_MeckCompost_PTO_FID1624131_20211108

Composting
Operation and Maintenance Manual
for
Mecklenburg County Compost and
Recycling Facility
November 2021

Operation & Maintenance Manual
Mecklenburg County
Compost and Recycling Center
Composting Operations
Table of Contents
General Information..................................................................1
Personnel................................................................................2
Quality Assurance Plan...............................................................2
Inspection of Incoming Material
....................................................2
Material Preparation..................................................................3
Composting Process..................................................................3
FinalProduct...........................................................................4
StaffTraining..........................................................................5
ContingencyPlan.....................................................................5
Equipment Breakdown...............................................................5
Non -conforming Waste...............................................................5
FireContingency......................................................................5
Vectors and Odors.....................................................................6
Adverse Weather Conditions.........................................................6
Reporting and Record Keeping.....................................................7

General Information
The Mecklenburg County Compost and Recycling Facility is located on 55 acres at 140
Valleydale Road. The land is located within the limits of the City of Charlotte. An
additional portion of the land is used for a full service, staffed recycling center. The facility
is designed to receive up to approximately 122,000 tons of yard waste annually.
The facility is generally open between 7AM-4PM Monday -Saturday but may have
additional operating hours based on the needs of the community. Daily site preparations
consist of general site and material evaluations, equipment pre -checks, and meetings with
staff to discuss schedules and forecasted weather conditions. Prior to closure, all
equipment is shut down, a post -check on the equipment is performed, and a general
informal site evaluation is conducted to ensure no safety hazards exist.
There are two scales at the compost and recycling facility. All paying customers disposing
of material and customers purchasing products currently cross the scale at the scalehouse
for transactions.
All incoming material is weighed with the exception of pick-up and automobile traffic.
These customers are charged by the size of vehicle and their weight is based upon volume.
Material sent out as boiler fuel in tractor trailers is weighed using the scales. Material being
sold (compost, mulch, nuggets, and etc.) is sold on a per cubic yard basis.
Regular testing of the pH, temperature, and moisture content of the material is performed
during the composting process for process control. Compost product is also tested on a
regular basis. Testing may include the U.S. Composting Council's Seal of Testing
Assurance (STA) Program.
The required contact information is as follows:
Applicant/Receiver of permit fee invoices:
Joe Hack
Mecklenburg County Solid Waste
2145 Suttle Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28208
980-314-3855
[e-mail]
Landowner:
Jeffrey Smithberger
Mecklenburg County — Solid Waste Director
2145 Suttle Avenue
Charlotte, NC 28208
980-314-3863
Jeffrey. Smithbergerkmecklenbur cam. nc.gov

Operations Manager:
Steve Hoffinan
140 Valleydale Road
Charlotte, NC 28214
980-314-3873
[e-mail]
Site Personnel
Personnel at the site include the following:
- Maintenance and Operations Supervisor: Responsible for day—to-day operations and
maintenance.
- Maintenance and Operations Specialists: Responsible for operating equipment (wheel
loaders, tub grinders, windrow turner, screening equipment, and trucks).
- Senior Maintenance and Operations Technicians: Responsible for servicing and
repairing the equipment. Mechanics can also be heavy equipment operators if they
have the proper training.
- Cashier: Responsible for collecting fees and recording incoming and outgoing
tonnages.
Quality Assurance Plan
Inspection of Incoming Material
1. Site personnel initially performs visual screening of incoming material at the time
it enters the facility. The inspection is to insure that no municipal solid waste,
recyclables, household hazardous waste, treated wood, dirt or other contaminants
are in the load.
2. If any of these items are detected at this time, the customer is directed to dispose of
the materials either at the on -site full -service recycling center or at another
appropriate approved disposal facility.
3. On -site compost facility staff perform the second and primary screening on the
tipping pad. These operators inspect the material both at the time of tipping as well
as immediately before the material is processed to ensure that material type as well
as size are appropriate to be processed by the grinders.
4. Should any non -conforming waste be detected by the operators during processing,
the waste will be removed from the site to be disposed properly.
2

Material Preparation
After inspection, the material is processed through a grinder.
2. The ground material is then removed from the processing area and either placed
into windrows for composting or shipped off site for use in other markets.
3. Upon placement of the material into windrows, moisture requirements are initially
determined by performing a squeeze test of the material:
a. A handful of material is gathered and squeezed in one hand.
b. If the material does not stay in a ball, but falls apart after squeezing it, the
moisture is probably below 50%.
c. If the material stays in a ball and little or no moisture drips from the ball,
then this is interpreted as 40%-60% moisture — the optimum moisture
content.
d. If water is dripping from the ball of material, then moisture content is most
likely above 65%.
4. If additional moisture is required, upon initial turning of the windrow water will be
infused into the material using on -site equipment. Water is available from the
stormwater pond and from the on -site yard hydrants.
5. In normal operations, high nitrogen yard wastes are incorporated into windrows as
soon as possible to minimize odors. Most yard waste, including green waste (grass
clippings), under normal operating conditions is processed through the grinder in a
timely manner. The grinding process gives the material its initial charge of oxygen
for its aerobic decomposition. Under normal operating conditions, the material is
then incorporated into windrows within a timely manner if space is available or is
sent out to be used in other markets. Mecklenburg County may use bulking agents
or amendments based on market conditions and material availability.
6. Occasionally clean single -hammered wood material is brought to the facility. This
material is kept separated from the other yard waste that enters the facility and does
not go through the grinding process. Once inspected, this material is sold directly
as mulch.
Composting Process
Generally, the windrowed material will be turned as needed using mechanized
equipment suitable for the operation. Material will be turned to maintain aerobic
conditions and maximize composting operations.
2. Throughout the composting process the material is monitored for temperature, pH,
moisture content, and general aesthetics.

3. Temperature measurements will typically be collected at least once a week to
ensure that compost is maintained at or above 55°C (131°F) for at least three (3)
days. The temperature will be measured with a thermometer fully inserted toward
the cross -sectional center of the windrow. The material will be aerated as needed
using mechanized equipment to ensure temperatures are being maintained.
4. As additional moisture is required, water can be added to the windrow during
turning of the material using on -site equipment. Water can either be pumped from
the wet pond on site or conveyed from any of the yard hydrants located throughout
the site. In addition, the facility can utilize a water cannon kept on site to spray the
surface of the windrows if required.
Final Product
Generally, the windrowed compost material is turned regularly until the internal
temperature falls below 55 'C.
2. Upon reaching the desirable temperature and material characteristics the material
is removed from the processing area and cured in static piles. The static piles are
turned when needed, based on moisture content and other characteristics.
3. Based on supply and demand, the cured material is eventually screened to remove
any off -spec material.
4. The material not passing thru the screening process is either returned for
reprocessing or sold as nugget mulch. Residues and off -spec materials generated
from the composting process may also be sold as a supplemental fuel or disposed
of in an approved disposal facility.
5. The material passing the screen is placed in a finished product pile separate from
the rest of the facility for ultimate distribution.
6. The finished compost will be sold primarily to residents, landscapers, and landscape
supply companies for use as a soil amendment. Mecklenburg County will continue
to explore various markets as they become available.
7. Mecklenburg County may use bulking agents or amendments based on market
conditions and material availability.
4

Staff Training
1. Multiple facility personnel will be trained per N.C.G.S. 130A-309.25(c) every
five years and maintain the required training certification.
2. Trained facility personnel will conduct annual training for operational facility
staff that will at least include the operations plan and the facility permit.
3. A record of this training will be maintained at the facility.
Contingency Plan
Equipment Breakdown
All primary equipment has at least one backup within the organization. The concern that
all pieces of a specific kind of equipment are out of service for any period of time is
minimal.
Non -conforming Waste
1. All waste is screened as described in the Quality Assurance Plan. Waste not
conforming to the facility's compost permit is not accepted at the facility.
2. Should waste not conforming to the facility's permit be received at the tipping area,
any contaminants are immediately loaded back onto the vehicle from which it came
and are redirected to a proper solid waste management facility.
3. Should any non -conforming waste be detected by the operators during grinding
operations, the waste is removed from the site to be disposed of in a proper solid
waste management facility.
4. Mecklenburg County may use this facility to process storm debris and vegetative
material during inclement weather situations. The amount of material to be
processed on site could exceed the design amount by as much as 100%.
Fire Contingency
1. The local Fire Department station will be made aware of the compost facility and
the nature of its operation.
2. Threat of fire is minimized by not allowing stock piles to age over four weeks and
by keeping its volume to a minimum.
5

3. Water hydrants are located throughout the site in case of a fire. In addition, the
facility has a water truck, a water cannon, and a rain wheel pump on site in case of
fire.
4. All pieces of equipment will include a fire extinguisher.
5. Fires will be reported to NCDEQ orally within 24 hours of the incident and in
writing within 15 days of the incident.
Vectors and Odors
Vectors are rarely a problem for yard waste (Type I) composting facilities.
2. The timely manner in which yard waste is ground and placed into windrows will
assist in the prevention of vectors.
3. To minimize odors, incoming yard waste will be ground in a timely manner under
normal operating conditions. Ground yard waste will either be placed in a windrow
or removed from the site. Material will be turned as needed to ensure that aerobic
conditions prevail.
4. To further minimize offsite odors, the facility utilizes an odor neutralizing system
located along the perimeter of the process area.
5. The facility has an odor monitoring program in place to capture potential process
issues and to respond to odor complaints
6. To minimize airborne particles, moisture may be incorporated into materials when
needed using a water cannon stored on site.
Adverse Weather Conditions
During inclement weather, facility operations will be modified to assure that the
facility operates within the requirements of the Operating Permit.

Reporting and Record keeping
The facility will maintain records for no less than 5 years. The following records will
be available for inspection by NCDEQ personnel during the facility's normal business
hours and shall be sent to the Division upon request:
a. Temperature data
b. Inbound quantity of material received
c. Quantity of material processed into compost (as best as possible)
d. Amount of compost sold annual (as best as possible)
2. An annual report, covering the period from July I to June 30, will be submitted to the
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) by August
1 for the prior year. The annual report shall contain the information as contained in Section
1408 of the North Carolina Solid Waste Management Rules.
Note: Monitoring records are maintained for five years and are available for inspection by division
personnel. Records include daily quantity of processed material, temperature data, quantity and
source of material received, and the quantity and type of material removed for the use or disposal
byproduct classification and the market or permitted disposal facility.