Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout0904T-Transfer-1995_INSP_20230711FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 1 of 23 UNIT TYPE: Lined MSWLF LCID YW Transfer X Compost SLAS COUNTY: Bladen Closed MSWLF HHW White goods X Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 0904T-Transfer-1995 CDLF Tire T&P / Collection X Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE Date of Site Inspection: July 11, 2023 Date of Last Inspection: April 6, 2023 FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS: Bladen County Transfer Station 1522 Mercer Mill Road Elizabethtown, NC 28337 GPS COORDINATES: Lat.: 34.60634 Long.: 78.60674 FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER: Kip McClary, General Services Manager 910-862-6785 kmcclary@bladenco.org gmartin@bladenco.org FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS: 272 Smith Circle Elizabethtown, NC 28337 PARTICIPANTS: Brandon Smith, Bladen Co David Powell, NC DEQ – Solid Waste Section STATUS OF PERMIT: LOS PTO issued December 22, 2020; Expires February 7, 2055 PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT: Comprehensive Inspection – Follow Up STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS: 1. 15A NCAC 13B .0405(a)(10) and Permit Attachment 3 Part VI (18)(e) – UNRESOLVED 2. 15A NCAC 13B .0405 (11) - UNRESOLVED FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 2 of 23 OBSERVED VIOLATIONS: 1. 15A NCAC 13B .0405(a)(10) – Windblown waste: Site staff shall conduct daily inspections for windblown waste on the site property. Windblown litter from site operations discovered during the daily inspections or observed on adjacent properties shall be picked up and containerized for disposal by the end of each operating day, unless the landowner of the adjacent property denies access to site staff. The site shall prevent waste from being blown outside the waste handling areas by the wind, using methods such as: (A) requiring that vehicles entering and leaving the site keep waste covered; (B) providing skirts, such as rubber belting or brushes, around the top of chutes to minimize the space between the chute and the hauling trailer at sites with chutes and hoppers; or (C) preventing waste from leaving the site using methods such as fencing, netting, or diking. 2. 15A NCAC 13B .0405(11) - Site Cleaning and Maintenance: Unless otherwise stated in the site permit, all waste shall be removed from the tipping floor, the truck loading bays, and from behind push walls by the end of each day of operation and disposed of in accordance with this Subchapter. The tipping floor, push walls, and truck loading bays shall be cleaned with a pressure washer no less than once per month. The remaining areas of the site building including side walls and any material storage areas outside of the building shall be cleaned with a pressure washer no less than twice per year. Wash water generated from cleaning waste handling areas shall be contained and treated as leachate. Cleaning and maintenance records shall be maintained and made available to the Division upon written request. 3. LOS Permit 12/22/2020, Attachment 3, Part I, 3 - Interior roadway must be of all-weather construction and maintained in good condition. 4. LOS Permit 12/22/2020, Attachment 3, Part VI, 19 - All water that comes in contact with solid waste, including vehicle wash-down water, is leachate and must be captured and properly treated before release to the environment: a. The leachate control system, such as floor drains, leachate collection devices, sanitary sewer connections and leachate storage tanks, must be operational during facility operations. b. The tipping floor must drain away from the building entrance and into the leachate collection system. 5. LOS Permit 12/22/2020, Attachment 3, Part VII, 26 - Surface water shall be diverted from all operational and storage areas to prevent standing water in operational areas and under or around storage piles. Water that comes in contact with solid waste is deemed to be leachate and shall be contained on-site or properly treated prior to discharge. Upon inspection, a large, eroded area that has become a trench was observed along the interior perimeter road in rear of the facility, leading to the truck loading bay. Sediment and water have been funneled from uphill, into this trench and then to the loading bay. This conveys stormwater washing windblown trash, now leachate, beyond the leachate collection system and loading bay through the perimeter fence and offsite. Although not actively washing away during this inspection, large trash was visible caught in the fence and through the fence downhill into the woods. The areas surrounding the station was generally clean other than the loading bay and downhill from that area. The leachate collection system in the loading bay was not working, due to sediment and trash clogging the drains, and leachate was ponding in some areas. The rear of the station loading bay had less tin siding than previous visits and chicken wire has been haphazardly placed over some framework of the structure left in place. This fencing is having no effect on capturing windblown trash. Overhead structural members, fans and lighting was observed barely handing on to the structure with the possibility to fall off the station at any time. Mr. Powell informed County Manager Greg Martin and General Services Manager Kip McClary via email again on 7/12/2023 of the safety hazards associated with the stations structure and encouraged the county to contact the county’s safety consultant or OSHA to address the issues. Upon leaving the station, loaded trailers staged and awaiting removal, were positioned outside the perimeter onto dead end highway. One was leaking leachate onto ground, running off the edge of road and soaking into grass. Trailers FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 3 of 23 has large visible holes in them on sides, although the rear was only place visible of leaking leachate at the time. Trailers should be leak resistant, no holes in them and stored with rear axles elevated to keep liquid pressure off the rear seal. Temporary measures should be taken to minimize the windblown until permanent repairs can be done, along with daily pickup. A safer method, away and not under or near the falling hazards should be constructed, or set up, to catch and collect windblown trash while allowing staff to maintain it without a safety risk. Contact a consultant on safety measures that can be put in place but still meet these goals. Mr. Powell inquired via phone and email about if the station washes down had occurred yet and requested the wash down records. No response was received after multiple attempts by time inspection report was sent. The entire Transfer Station needs to be washed down, per rule and permit requirements, but with the Station in such disrepair, containing leachate is a concern. Please wash down all areas in which leachate can be contained to the leachate management system and document. Temporary measures, such as soil, can be used to contain in addition, as suggested onsite. During inspection the loading bay leachate collection drains were blocked. These need periodic checking/cleaning. Trash around push walls and in corners should be removed for washing down. The monthly tipping floor and the biannual station washdowns need to be documented and kept in record for reviewing during compliance inspections. The interior road should be of all-weather construction and repaired immediately to allow access and prevent the stormwater conveyance short circuiting the loading bay leachate collection system and causing windblown to be washed offsite. All surface water should be diverted away from all operational and storage areas. Secondary containment should be available for rear of trailers. Leachate collections devices should be made/purchased or other devices used, such as 55-gallon drums or even cow feeder troughs could be used in the right situation. Leachate collection system in loading bay is easily overwhelmed and should be evaluated, perhaps improved. Please address and submit any changes to Section permitting before actions are taken. Perhaps restricting human traffic around loading bay area, or any other part of the station with this current safety concern, is needed as well. Should safety concerns and area avoidances affect the operability of the station please alert the Section to the changes in operation. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 4 of 23 Station tipping floor. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 5 of 23 Interior road west of station. Conveys water past scrap metal and SE to loading bay and offsite to south. Some trash visible in eroded area. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 6 of 23 View from interior road trench in previous photo towards loading bay and show path of water flow to loading bay. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 7 of 23 Looking uphill towards eroded trench in interior road. Loading bay and station out of frame to right. Stormwater runs downhill to loading bay, mixes with windblown trash along route and becomes leachate, and washes from rear of photo and right in frame towards photographer and left out of frame. Some trash visible in bottom left corner of photo. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 8 of 23 Photo depicts area where leachate and waste are washed under and through the perimeter fence down hill to the south out of sight. Fishing rod, trash bags cups and bottles are visible. All waste should be gathered and put into station immediately. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 9 of 23 Additional are few feet down from last photo along same fence in which leachate goes under and through fence offsite. Trash is caught at fence and washed beyond downhill to south. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 10 of 23 Photo view through fence into woods beyond same fence line as previous photos looking south. Waste visible downhill. Large box, trash bag with misc. trash, metal pipe, rope cups, plastics etc. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 11 of 23 Back of station loading bay with chicken wire as windblown barrier. Please address this better and keep safety in mind. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 12 of 23 Loading bay looking up to back right corner of station. Large light about to tear away from structure, large mattress and other trash behind push wall. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 13 of 23 Leachate and windblown comingled outside of loading bay on east side. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 14 of 23 Loading bay with no leachate collection grates visible from being clogged and leachate ponding. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 15 of 23 Loading bay with no leachate collection grates visible from being clogged and leachate ponding. Reflection in ponding leachate is of bottom of trailer not collection grate. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 16 of 23 Staged trailer on state road in front of Station property with leachate leaking onto ground. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 17 of 23 6. LOS Permit 12/22/2020, Attachment 3, Part VII, 35 - The area is permitted to receive and temporarily store used motor oil as defined in NCGS Article 9, Chapter 130A-290 (b)(5) is a public used oil collection center as defined in NCGS Article 9, Chapter 130A-290 (b)(1); therefore, the permittee must operate and manage collected used oil in accordance with NCGS Article 9, Chapter 130A-309.15 & Chapter 130A-309.20. During previous inspection on 4/6/2023, it was noted that the fueling station and used oil collection area had much spillage since last visit in 1/20/2023. Oil and fuel have spilled off the concrete onto surrounding soil in a large area and the soil needed to be removed and taken to Lined MSW. It was noted and discussed that secondary containment and a rain cover for this area was needed. Upon inspection on 7/11/2023, more petroleum-stained soil, containers with oil/petroleum-based wastes left open and running over from rainfall and some spillage off the pad was observed. An oil absorbent material, like kitty litter, was also visible but was applied to the spill and left around the containers for rain to wash through and away. Staining around the pad was still visible along with new rock substrate from a partial clean up. Upon inquiry with Scalehouse operator Brandon Smith, he indicated that the larger area was excavated, removed and gravel replaced. He also indicated a rain cover was researched. During inspection no secondary containment or rain cover was observed. A better system for accepting petroleum wastes should be put in place with secondary containment and rain covers. All contaminated soil should be excavated and put into the Station where it can go to a Lined MSW. Information on this site was forwarded to Division of Waste Management Hazardous Waste Section, Underground Storage Tank Section and Solid Waste Hydrogeologists for review. County staff should reach out to these contacts as too what is required for corrective action. Lauren Richardson, Hydrogeologist with UST contact information is lauren.richardson@deq.nc.gov or 910-796-7475. Wes Hare, Inspector with Hazardous Waste Section contact information is wes.hare@deq.nc.gov or 910-442-0922. Supervisor Perry Sugg, Supervisor for DWM Environmental Compliance Branch, contact information is perry.sugg@ncdenr.gov or 919-707-8258. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 18 of 23 Used oil container on left and fuel dispenser on right. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 19 of 23 Used oil containers overflowing onto ground and leaking off pad. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 20 of 23 Area under between fuel and used oil allowed to leak and oil absorbent applied but rain is washing oil and absorbent away. 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 21 of 23 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 1. The purpose of this inspection was to follow up on corrective actions at the Bladen County Transfer Station and to follow up also on the Closed MSW. Section staff toured the facility and discussed issues and corrective actions that remain with scale house operator Brandon Smith. After onsite inspection of the County facilities, Mr. McClary emailed County staff and Section staff David Powell and Andrew Hammonds. Mr. McClary gave an update on some corrective actions and plans on addressing issues at the closed MSW. Mr. Powell responded with the major items of concern needing immediate corrective actions at Closed MSW and Transfer Station such as leachate, safety and windblown. The Transfer Station is a true safety concern, and you should consult the County’s Safety Officer, or OSHA, if need be, to address it in short term and long term. Transfer Station FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 22 of 23 2. Tipping floor, side walls, and tin siding and some structural repairs to station are still needed. Some repairs are needed immediately for safety concerns. Currently, the county is taking bids for tipping floor repairs and has not addressed the structure or siding. During the time the station is out of service for repairs, trash will be sent straight to Sampson County LF. Keep DEQ SWS informed of service interruption. 3. Windblown was not an issue to the side of station entrance during inspection. Good job. East side of station FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 23 of 23 4. Corrective actions are necessary as result of this inspection. The station structure, loading bay walls and floor still need repair. Getting started on this work has taken longer than originally planned. Please communicate with Solid Waste Section/David Powell on Station repairs. Should the repairs inhibit the station’s operations in any way, communicate with Mr. Powell immediately. An update on the current condition of the Station should also be given periodically. Soil around oil/fuel area needs removing to lined MSW. Wash down of the Station is still needed. Windblown pickup and temporary measures for containing the windblown and leachate are needed. A Notice of Violation is forthcoming. If additional time from what’s stated in the NOV is needed, then a request for an extension should be sent along with an update of the progress made up to that time. A follow-up inspection will be conducted at that time or shortly after. Failure to resolve these matters may result in further enforcement action. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report. ________________________________________ Phone: 910-433-3350 _ David Powell Environmental Senior Specialist Regional Representative Sent on: 7/18/2023 x Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _] Copies: Jason Watkins, Field Operations Branch Head – Solid Waste Section Andrew Hammonds, Eastern District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section Sherri Stanley, Permitting Branch Supervisor – Solid Waste Section Diana Piña Yitbarek, Engineer – Solid Waste Section Greg Martin, County Manager – Bladen County