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Home My WebLink About1104_INSP_20240606FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 1 of 10 UNIT TYPE: MSWLF X COUNTY: BUNCOMBE PERMIT NO.: 1104-TRANSFER-1993 FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE Date of Site Inspection: 6/6/2024 Date of Last Inspection: 3/9/2023 FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS: Waste Management of Carolinas, Inc. Asheville Transfer Station 24 Pond Road Asheville, NC 28806 GPS COORDINATES: Lat: 35.548801° Long: -82.602491° FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER: Name: James Harris, District Manager – Waste Management of Carolinas, Inc. Telephone: 828-551-0037 Email address: jharri53@wm.com FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS: Same as above PARTICIPANTS: Kyle Mertens, Waste Management James Harris, Waste Management Nelson York, Waste Management Kim Sue, NCDEQ- Solid Waste Section Summer Justice, NCDEQ- Solid Waste Section STATUS OF PERMIT: Permit Approval to Operate 1104-TRANSFER-1993 Waste Management of Asheville Transfer Station issued May 30, 2023 PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT: Comprehensive Inspection STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS: None. OBSERVED VIOLATIONS: None. FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 2 of 10 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 1. All photographs were taken by Summer Justice during the inspection unless otherwise noted. 2. Durable, weather resistant signs that stated the name of the operator, operating hours, emergency contact, permit number, and that hazardous or liquid waste shall not be accepted were posted at the entrance to the facility. As noted by Kris Riddle in the previous inspection report, some information is faded and should be replaced. 3. Access roads at the facility were of all-weather construction and appeared to be maintained. Records Review 4. Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialists: • Cory Geisler (expires September 22, 2025) • James Gunter (expires August 16, 2025) • Perry Roberts (expires September 22, 2025) • George Sackett (expires September 16, 2025) • Cody Styers (expires September 16, 2025) • Marco Morales (expires April 13, 2025) 5. Tonnage records were provided for review for the quarters of August 2023-October 2023 and January 2024-March 2024. 6. Waste screening records were available for review. The forms did not indicate whether unacceptable waste was pulled out or the final disposition of unacceptable waste. The forms also did not indicate the tonnage or volume of waste screened. The facility provided a one-week sample using scale records to demonstrate that the five percent requirement was met in that week. Ensure that personnel screen incoming loads weekly at a rate of no less than five percent of the average daily waste tonnage for the previous year as required by 15A NCAC 13B .0405(8)(a), and that the final disposition of rejected waste is recorded in writing. 7. According to facility records, the side walls of the transfer station building were most recently cleaned on March 4, 2024 by WNC Pressure Washing, LLC. 8. The permit to operate and approved operational plan were available for review. 9. Annual training records including review of operational plan and permit were available for review. Operations Inspection of the Transfer Station 1104-TRANSFER-1993 10. Operation of the transfer station is currently performed through contract with Custom Ecology Inc. 11. The leachate collection system consists of drains located at the entrance to the transfer station building and the loading bay which are conveyed to an oil and water separator. From the oil and water separator, leachate is discharged to Buncombe County MSD. According to facility staff, the oil and water separator is pumped at least quarterly. 12. Waste accumulation was observed behind the eastern deflector panel push wall in the transfer station building. According to a follow up photograph from facility staff, the waste was removed from behind the push wall by the end of the operating day. Continue to ensure that all waste is removed from behind push walls at the end of each day as required by 15A NCAC 13B .0405(a)(11). 13. Thick dust was observed accumulating on the I-beam and concrete ledge of the trailer loading bay, and in the corners of the tipping floor. Ensure that these areas are pressure washed monthly as required by 15A NCAC 13B .0405(a)(11). 14. Water supply is provided to the tipping floor in the form of a fire hose. 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 FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 3 of 10 15. The trailer loading bay contained minimal waste at the time of inspection and appeared to be well maintained. 16. Windblown waste appeared to be well maintained at the time of inspection. 17. Trailers are staged northwest of the transfer station. Several unloaded trailers were observed with holes, including trailer numbers 16312 and 16183. Ensure that the trailers are maintained in accordance with 15A NCAC 13B .0105 before returning to use. 18. Several areas of the transfer station building that require maintenance were observed. These areas include the large hole in the eastern transfer station building wall, the damaged eastern deflector panel push wall, and the damaged exterior wall above the trailer loading bay. Maintain the transfer station building and continue to monitor for damage. 19. Cracks and spalling were observed in the tipping floor, some of which contained standing leachate. Facility staff stated that some resurfacing is planned. Make any necessary repairs to the tipping floor to ensure that leachate is not released into the environment. 20. The trench drains at the entrance to the transfer station building and in the trailer loading bay appeared to be functional. Portions of the trench drain grate at the entrance to the transfer station building are damaged. Ensure the drain covers are maintained as necessary and continue to clean out trench drains as stated in the facility operational plan. 21. Wooden pallets were observed on the tipping floor. Wooden pallets are prohibited for disposal in MSW landfills located in the state of North Carolina by N.C.G.S. 130A-309.10(f)(12). As discussed during the inspection, if the facility wishes to dispose of pallets at a landfill in another state, a letter from the receiving facility must be submitted to the section stating that pallets can be accepted for disposal at that facility. Otherwise, all wooden pallets, even if broken, must be screened and managed as a banned waste in accordance with N.C.G.S. 130A-309.10(f). 22. Tires brought to the facility are kept in an open top dumpster which is kept under cover in an onsite building. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report. ____________________________ Phone: 828-296-4705 _ Summer Justice Environmental Senior Specialist Regional Representative Sent on: June 11, 2024 to James Harris X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _] Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section Kyle Mertens, Waste Management FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 4 of 10 Waste Accumulation Behind Deflector Panel Push Wall FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 5 of 10 Waste Removed from Deflector Panel Push Wall (Photograph from Kyle Mertens) Waste Accumulation Behind Deflector Panel Push Wall Waste Removed from Behind Deflector Panel Push Wall (Photograph from Kyle Mertens) FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 6 of 10 Example of a Wooden Pallet on the Tipping Floor Cracks on the Tipping Floor FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 7 of 10 Standing Leachate on the Tipping Floor Dust Accumulation on Tipping Floor FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 8 of 10 Dust Accumulation on I-Beam and Concrete Ledge of Trailer Loading Bay Tire Storage Area FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 9 of 10 Functional Drain in Trailer Loading Bay Trench Drain at Transfer Building Entrance FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT Division of Waste Management Solid Waste Section Page 10 of 10 Example of a Hole Observed in Trailer