0501_INSP_20240423

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

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UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF X LCID X YW Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: Ashe
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods X Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 05-01
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection X Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE
Date of Site Inspection: April 23, 2024 Date of Last Inspection: September 29, 2023
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Ashe County Solid Waste Facility
739 Fred Pugh Road
Crumpler, North Carolina 28617
GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 36.52238 Long.: -91.36960
FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Scott Hurley, Director Department of Environmental Services
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 1327
West Jefferson, North Carolina 28694
PARTICIPANTS:
Michael Miller, Landfill Supervisor Ashe County
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ Solid Waste Section
STATUS OF PERMIT:
-MSWLF-1993 MSW -LCID-2020 Land

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection
STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A
OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .1626(2)(b) states: Except as provided in Sub-Item (c) of this Item, the
owners or operators of all MSWLF units shall cover disposed solid waste with six inches of earthen material at the end of
each operating day, or at more frequent intervals if necessary to prevent the escape of waste and the attraction of vectors
and scaven
During the inspection, exposed waste was observed intermittently over an area of approximately 60-feet x 40-feet on the
western portion of Phase 4 near the access road. Mr. Miller explained waste was last placed in this area on April 19,
2024. Ashe County is in violation of 15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B for failure to cover disposed waste
with six inches of earthen material at the end of each operating day.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 2 of 4
4/23/24: View of exposed waste looking southwest. 4/23/24: View of exposed waste looking west.
(photo by C. Gerstell) (photo by C. Gerstell)
4/23/24: View of exposed waste looking east. 4/23/24: View of exposed waste with animal carcass
(photo by C. Gerstell) looking southwest. (photo by C. Gerstell)
To achieve compliance, Ashe County must cover all exposed waste with 6-inches of earthen material or approved
alternative cover material at the conclusion of each operating day. A follow-up inspection will be performed at a
later date to confirm compliance.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1. The facility consists of a Municipal Solid Wate Landfill (MSWLF), Land Clearing and Inert Debris Landfill
(LCID), scrap tire collection area, and a white goods collection area.
2. The facility has a service area of Ashe County only.
3. A gate was provided at the entrance to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.
4. The facility had proper signage.
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
Records Review:
5. The Permit to Operate and Operations Plan were verified. Both documents were current and available upon
request.
6. Tonnage records for August 2023 to present were verified. The facility received 17,266.36-tons of waste during
this period.
7. Groundwater sampling was performed semiannually as required. Records for 2nd semiannual sampling for 2022
(performed November 14-26, 2022 & December 15, 2022) and 1st semiannual sampling for 2023 (performed June
21-22, 2023) were verified.
8. Leachate sampling was performed semiannually as required. Sampling was performed concurrently with
groundwater sampling events.
9. Methane monitoring was performed quarterly as required. Records for sampling events performed on 3/10/23,
6/20-22/23, 8/4/23, 12/20-22/23, and 2/6/24 were verified. No exceedances above applicable standards were
observed.
10. Waste screening reports were verified for January 2023 to April 19, 2024. Reports appeared to have been
performed with adequate frequency and provided good documentation as to the make-up of each waste load
observed.
11. Manager of Landfill Operations Certification:
Scott Hurley (expires 5/7/27)
12. Certified Landfill Operations Specialist Certification:
Matthew Gilley (expires 9/15/25)
Michael Miller (expires 2/21/26)
Michael Rutherford (expires 5/30/25)
Kathy Weaver (expires 2/21/26)
Operations Inspection of the MSWLF (0501-MSWLF-1993):
13. Waste was being placed in Phase 4 at the time of inspection.
14. The working face was very small and compact.
15. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
16. Two small, eroded rills had developed on the east facing slope of Phase 4. Please ensure these areas are properly
repaired to prevent additional erosion of the soil.
17. A small amount of windblown waste was observed at the toe of slope along the southeast portion of Phase 4 and
sporadically along the north facing slope upon arrival on site. Facility staff were actively collecting windblown
waste during the inspection. The majority of windblown waste observed upon arrival had been collected for
disposal by conclusion of the inspection. Mr. Miller explained the facility had experienced strong winds during
recent operations. Please ensure windblown waste is collected for proper disposal at the conclusion of each
operating day.
18. Please continue efforts to stabilize inactive portions of the landfill with a groundcover sufficient to restrain erosion.
19. Edge-of-liner markers were provided around the perimeter of the landfill.
20. Access roads were of all-weather construction and well maintained.
Operations Inspection of the LCID Landfill (0501-LCID-2020):
21. The working face was less than one-half acre in size at time of inspection.
22. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
23. This area was well managed.
Operations Inspection of the White Goods Collection Area:
24. White goods were being collected adjacent to a concrete pad near the recycling building. Facility staff remove
CFCs and then load the appliance into a trailer to be sent to the metal vendor.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 4 of 4
25. During the inspection, six refrigerators were observed laying on their sides. Mr. Miller explained these appliances
were received earlier from a county operated convenience site. Mr. Miller explained the appliance would be
placed in an upright manner and moved to the recycling building prior to removal of CFCs. All remaining
appliance were observed stored in an upright manner.
26. Please continue efforts to maintain the integrity of each appliance to ensure the proper collection of CFCs.
Operations Inspection of the Tire Collection Area:
27. Scrap tires were being collected in two covered trailers located west of the scale house.
28. All tires were maintained inside the designated trailers at the time of inspection.
29. This area was well managed.
Supporting Comments:
28. A convenience area for the collection of aluminum cans, glass, and wooden pallets is provided adjacent to the
primary access road west of the scale house.
29. The leachate pond was observed during the inspection.
Two aerators were in operation within the impoundment.
The pond had greater than two feet of freeboard.
No concerns were observed with the visible portions of the liner.
30. Used oil is collected into an above-ground storage tank (AST) near the scale house. Used oil filters were being
collected in 55-gallon drums adjacent to the AST. No concerns were observed in this area.
31. Electronics were being collected in a 30-yard roll-off container located on the opposite side of the access road
across from the scale-house. Once full, staff remove the remove the electronics and place them on pallets and then
load them into a covered trailer for shipment to the electronics vendor. Please ensure electronics are handled in a
manner to minimize damage to the devices.
32. A water truck was being used to wet roads during the inspection to control dust.
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: 4/29/24 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]
Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section