1403_INSP_20221104

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 4

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF X LCID YW Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: Caldwell
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods X Incin T&P X FIRM PERMIT NO.: 1403-MSWLF-1998
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection X Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: November 4, 2022 Date of Last Inspection: November 19, 2021

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Foothills Regional Landfill
2800 Cheraw Road
Lenoir, North Carolina 28645

GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 35.91531 Long.: -81.59568

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Owner: Caldwell County
Contact: Donald E. Duncan Jr., County Manager
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

Operator: Republic Services of North Carolina, LLC d.b.a. Foothills Regional Landfill
Contact: Steven Hunter, Operations Manager – Foothills Regional Landfill
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Donald E. Duncan Jr., Caldwell County Manager
Post Office Box 2200
Lenoir, North Carolina 28645

CT Corporation System, Registered Agent
Republic Services of North Carolina, LLC d.b.a. Foothills Regional Landfill
150 Fayetteville Street, Box 1011
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601

PARTICIPANTS:
Stephen Hunter, Operations Manager – Republic Services of NC, LLC
Dustin Hurt, Operations Supervisor – Republic Services of NC, LLC
Derek Bouchard, Environmental Manager – Republic Services of NC, LLC
Don Phelps, General Manager – Republic Services of NC, LLC
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section

STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit Approval to Construct MSW Landfill Phase 5 and a Permit Approval to Operate MSW Landfill Phases 1 – 4
and Phase 5, Cell 6A and a Landfill Gas to Energy System was issued to Caldwell County (Owner) and Republic
Services of North Carolina, LLC (Operator) d.b.a Foothills Regional Landfill on November 24, 2021.

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 2 of 4

STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1. The facility consists of a lined MSWLF, Tire Management Area, White Goods Area, and Mulching and Grinding
Area.
2. The facility had proper signage.
3. A gate was located at the entrance to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.

Records Review:

4. The Permit to Operate and the Operations Plan were discussed. The documents are kept in electronic format at the
facility.
5. Water Quality Monitoring was being conducted semiannually as required. Records for 2nd semiannual sampling
for 2019 (performed 7/24-25/19), 1st semiannual sampling for 2020 (performed 1/27/20 & 3/30/20), 2nd semiannual
for 2020 (performed 7/26 – 27/20), 1st semiannual sampling for 2021 (performed 2/1/21), 2nd semiannual sampling
for 2021 (performed 7/26/21), 1st semiannual sampling for 2022 (performed 1/25-26/22), and 2nd semiannual
sampling for 2022 (performed 7/25-26/22) were verified via the Division document database.
6. Leachate sampling was being performed semiannual as required. Sampling was performed concurrently with
water quality monitoring.
7. Methane monitoring was being performed quarterly as required. Records for sampling events performed on 8/8-
9/19, 10/2/19, 2/13/20, 4/2/20, 7/2/20, 10/6/20, 3/9/21, 5/27/21, 9/2/21, 11/11/21, 3/1/22, 5/2/22, and 9/21/22 were
verified.
x Methane was recorded above the lower explosive limit on multiple occasions at GP-1. GP-1 is located on
the south side of the landfill between the landfill and the maintenance building.
x A mitigation trench was installed along the toe of cell 1A in 2019 to cut off the potential for gas migration
in the direction of GP-1. Facility staff have also adjusted the methane vacuume in this area to also address
the methane levels.
x Records showed a consistent decrease in methane levels at GP-1 since 2019. Methane levels at GP-1 have
been below the lower explosive limit during the last four quarterly sampling events. Thank you for your
continued efforts to address methane levels at the facility.
8. Waste screening reports were verified for January 2022 to present. Screenings were performed with adequate
frequency and documented observed unacceptable waste streams. Please ensure that reports detail the final
disposition of unacceptable wastes once they have been observed.
9. A random sampling of Scrap Tire Certification Forms were observed. Majority of forms were properly completed.
Please ensure that signatures and the number of tires accepted are documented on the forms.
10. Asbestos disposal records were observed. The facility maintains a copy of waste manifests for each load of
asbestos waste received at the facility. An aerial image is placed in the record marking the general location of the
disposal location for each load of asbestos, and GPS coordinates are also recorded.
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 3 of 4

11. Manager of Landfill Operations Certification:
x Derek Bouchard (expires 3/10/25)
x Stephen Hunter (expires 5/6/23)
x Dustin Hurt (expires 9/13/25)
x Mitchael Ogle (expires 9/13/25)
12. Certified landfill Operations Specialist Certifications:
x Justin Haas (expires 11/16/24)
x Matthew Pritchard (expires 3/30/25)
x Tom Rutledge (expires 3/13/23)
x Mark Spencer (expires 4/15/23)

Operations Inspection of the MSWLF Unit:

13. Waste was being placed in Cell 6A at the time of inspection.
14. The working face was rather large at the time of inspection. Mr. Hunter stated facility staff were in the transition
of filling to allow for relocation of the tipper to the top of the slope. He stated the working face would be covered
with Posi-Shell at the end of the working day.
15. The facility had previously used a separate disposal area for small residential loads. This area was not being
utilized at the time of inspection. However, the area had been covered with Posi-Shell which was well applied.
Small, residential loads were being off-loaded at the top of the working face at the time of inspection, while large,
loads utilizing a tipper were being off-loaded at the toe of the working face.
16. A portion of the working face around the toe of the slope was covered with Posi-Shell which was well applied.
17. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
18. Inactive areas were covered with soil at the time of inspection.
19. Windblown waste was well controlled. Facility staff work picking up windblown waste at the time of inspection.
20. Since the last inspection, additional litter catch fences were installed along the access road on the east side of the
landfill and on top of the landfill west of the active working face. Thank you for your efforts to control windblown
waste on the site.
21. Vegetation was becoming quite tall on the perimeter slope of the landfill which can prevent a thorough inspection
of the slopes. Tall vegetation can impede inspection of the slopes for potential issues such as leachate outbreaks.
Please ensure vegetation is mowed to allow for a thorough inspection of the slopes.
22. Edge-of-liner markers were in place around the landfill. However, it appeared that multiple markers were
obstructed by tall vegetation along the southern edge of the landfill near the access road. As previously noted
under item #20, please ensure tall vegetation is mowed allowing for a clear view of the markers. A clear line of
site should be provided between markers.

Inspection of the Tire Collection Area:

23. Tires were being collected in multiple covered trailers located west of the scale house, and adjacent to the methane
flare.
24. All tires were being maintained within the designated trailers at the time of inspection.
25. This area was well managed.

Inspection of the White Goods Collection Area:

26. White goods containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are collected on a concrete pad west of the scale house
adjacent to the tire collection area.
27. Since the previous inspection, the concrete pad for white good collection had been moved to an area adjacent to the
main access road to make room for construction of the gas to energy project.
28. Once CFCs are removed, the white goods are placed on the metal pile which is also located on the concrete pad
separated by concrete buttresses. No white goods containing CFCs were on site at the time of inspection.
29. This area was well managed.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 4 of 4

Inspection of the Grinding Area:

30. The grinding area is located on the south side of the landfill and just east of the leachate tanks.
31. In the past, the collection area was bordered by a gravel berm. Inspection found waste had been placed beyond the
gravel berm and was beginning to extend onto the vegetated slope above existing wet detention basin No. 5.
Please ensure all debris is maintained to the top of the slope to prevent additional placement of material on
the slope above the basin.
32. A piece of chain-length-fence was observed within the collection area. Please ensure unacceptable waste streams
are removed once observed.
33. During the inspection, loads of leaves and one small load of grass was observed in the griding area. This material
constitutes yard trash. If accepted, yard trash must be managed to meet the conditions outlined in 15A NCAC 13B
.1400.
x The approved operations plan for the facility notes yard debris is either removed by a third-party contractor
or may also be ground up and mixed with soils as a soil amendment.
x It is understood that once ground, material is used to provide traction for vehicles when soils in the landfill
are wet.
x Please revise Section X “Other Uses” of the Operations Plan to detail all proposed end uses for the
ground material on site to ensure the material is used for beneficial purposes. The revisions should
include a timeline for grinding operations to ensure the material is not allowed to accumulate for a
long period of time.

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: 11/18/22 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=Division of Waste
Management, ou=Solid Waste Section,
email=[e-mail], c=US
Date: 2022.11.18 09:06:10 -05'00'