6030_DavidsonCompost_closure_20240626

ROY COOPER
Gawffnor
ELIZABETH S. BISER
Serretary
MICHAEL SCOTT
Director
Via Email
David Holthouser
Director of Facilities and Engineering
Davidson College
NORTH CAROLINA
Eavimmmeantu!Q"a iy
June 26, 2024
Re: Permit closure, Davidson College Compost Facility, Permit 6030-COMPOST-2013, Davidson
County
Dear Mr. Holthouser:
The North Carolina Solid Waste Section has closed the compost permit for Davidson College, permit
6030-COMPOST-2013. From previous emails and communications, it was demonstrated that the
compost operation met the requirements for a permit exemption under 15A NCAC 13B .1402 (g) (2).
The size limitations for the exemption are no more than 100 cubic yards onsite at any given time, and a
compost area of no more than 1 acre.
The small compost operation at Davidson College can still operate under the permit exemption
conditions, with no notice to the Section. A guidance document for the permitting exemption is
attached for your reference.
In the future, if the compost operation no longer meets the .1402 (g)(2) exemption, please contact this
office to apply for re -issuance of the compost permit.
Previous documents for this facility can be viewed and downloaded from our online document
database:
https://edocs.deg.nc.gov/WasteManagement/Browse.aspx?id=1740&dbid=0&repo=WasteManagement
If you have any questions, please contact me at 919-707-8255, or by email at
[e-mail].
Sincerely,
Donna J. Wilson
Engineering Project Manager
Solid Waste Section
Attachment
cc: Teresa Bradford Sherri Stanley
Geof Little
D ��� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Waste Management
217 West Jones Street 11646 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1646
NORTH cAROUNA
Deua�maa^iro��+ —i /`� 919.707.8200

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
6-26-2024
COMPOST FACILITY
PERMIT EXEMPTION GUIDANCE
RULE .1402 (g)(2)
The North Carolina Compost Rules include a permitting exemption for small compost facilities
accepting certain Type 1, 2, and 3 feedstocks, provided that specific conditions are met. The
permitting exemption will primarily apply to small food waste compost facilities, and is
described in the Compost Rules in 15A NCAC 1313 .1402 (g)(2)
Compost facility operators that meet the conditions of the exemption are not required by the
Solid Waste Section (Section) to obtain a permit and are not required to notify the Section or
obtain any approval from the Section for the compost operation. If a compost site meets the
conditions and operates according to the conditions of the exemption, then the site is in
compliance with the Section rules.
Other compost permit exemptions, including backyard composting and farming operations, are
not included in this guidance. Some small Type 1 notified sites may qualify for the new
exemption, based on size. See Rules .1402 (f) and (g) (1) for reference.
Conditions of the Exemption
1. Feedstocks that can be received are limited to food waste, compostable dinnerware,
manure, vegetative agricultural waste, yard and garden waste, land -clearing debris,
untreated and unpainted wood waste, and/or source separated paper.
2. Volume of material onsite, not including finished compost, cannot exceed 100 cubic
yards at any given time. This amount includes feedstock storage, active composting and
curing composting. The volume onsite does not include finished compost. As a rough
estimate:
• The size of 100 cubic yards of compost, in the shape of one long windrow, would be
approximately 8 feet wide, 5 feet high, and 100 feet long (windrow shape can vary).
• The weight of 100 cubic yards of compost would be approximately 55 tons.
3. Size of the operations area must be less than one acre. The operations area is the sum
of the areas for feedstock storage, unloading, grinding, mixing, composting and curing.
The operations area does not include finished compost storage, roads, or buffer areas.
4. Location and setback reauirements:
• Cannot be located within the 100-year floodplain (see Rule .1404 (a)(1)).
• Cannot be located in a wetland.
• Cannot be located on top of a closed disposal area, without approval of the Section.
• Minimum setbacks are required between the compost operations areas and the
following:
This guidance is not a substitute for the applicant reviewing and understanding the applicable North Carolina Statutes
and Administrative Code.

2
o Property line, 50 feet
o Residences not owned by the owner/operator, 200 feet
o Wells, except monitoring wells, 100 feet
o Streams and water bodies, 50 feet
o Ditches and berms, 25 feet
5. Other local, state, and federal rules and requirements continue to apply to the compost
operation, including local zoning.
6. Soil pad under the operations area:
• The operations areas must have either a soil pad with a soil texture finer than loamy
sand or an impermeable pad, such as concrete or asphalt. A soil pad finer than
loamy sand generally means that the soil pad contains enough clays and silt size
particles to prevent quick infiltration of liquids to groundwater. Natural soil
conditions in some areas in the coastal regions are highly permeable sands with little
to no fines.
• The depth to groundwater for the operations area must be at least 24 inches.
7. Surface water and liauids manaeement:
• Liquids, compost process water, and contaminants cannot enter surface water in
violation of the Clean Water Act and water quality standards 15A NCAC 02B.
• The site must be operated to minimize surface water run-on to the site, run-off of
liquids from the site, and ponding of liquids around the compost windrows.
• Soil erosion control measures must be practiced to prevent discharge of soil and
feedstocks into surface waters or wetlands.
8. Pathogen reduction and vector attraction reduction is required, and is documented by
time and temperature measurements. Written records of temperature monitoring must
be kept for each batch during the time and temperature requirement period.
Windrow Method
• Aerobic conditions must be maintained during the composting process.
• A temperature of 1311 F or greater must be maintained for at least 15
consecutive days.
• During the high temperature period, the windrow must be turned at least 5
times.
Aerated Static Pile Method
• Aerobic conditions must be maintained during the composting process.
• The temperature of the compost must be maintained at 1311 F or higher for at
least 3 consecutive days, to meet PFRP (Process to Further Reduce Pathogens).
• The temperature of the compost must also be maintained for 14 days at an
average temperature of at least 1131 F, with a minimum temperature of 1041 F
during that time, to meet VAR (Vector Attraction Reduction).
• The two temperature requirements can be combined or overlap. The following
are examples:
o 14 consecutive days at minimum 131 degrees F.

o 3 consecutive days at minimum 131 degrees F, followed by 11
consecutive days at minimum 113 degrees F.
In -Vessel Method
• The temperature of the compost must be maintained at 1311 F or higher for at
least 3 consecutive days, to meet PFRP (Process to Further Reduce Pathogens).
• The temperature of the compost must also be maintained for 14 days at an
average temperature of at least 1131 F, with a minimum temperature of 1040 F
during that time, to meet VAR (Vector Attraction Reduction).
• The two temperature requirements can be combined or overlap. The following
are examples:
0 14 consecutive days at minimum 131 degrees F.
0 3 consecutive days at minimum 131 degrees F, followed by 11
consecutive days at minimum 113 degrees F.
9. Operation requirements:
• The temperature of the compost must be monitored with a compost thermometer,
which should be calibrated annually. Onsite calibration using ice water is an
acceptable method, with mostly ice and a small amount of water to fill voids.
• Odorous waste arriving at the site must be promptly mixed into the compost process
with carbon bulking material to prevent offsite odors.
• The site must be operated to minimize odors at the property boundary. Methods
include covering the windrows with finished compost and turning windrows during
favorable weather conditions.
• Adequate design process indicator parameters, such as C:N ratios, moisture content,
porosity, oxygen, etc., must be maintained to prevent odors and to meet pathogen
reduction.
• The site must be operated in a manner to prevent dust or other airborne particles
from leaving the property, and to prevent the attraction of insects and rodents.
10. Analytical testing
• If the finished compost will be distributed to the public or used in public places (such
as the entrance to an office building), then analytical testing is required. A sample of
the compost is required to be sent to a lab every 6 months for analysis of pathogens
(either fecal coliform or salmonella), in accordance with Rule .1407(b). Records of
testing must be kept for 5 years. A list of labs is linked on the Section's website.
• If only Type 1 waste is composted (yard and garden waste, tree clearing waste, and
untreated/ unpainted wood waste), analytical testing is not required.
If a compost operation cannot meet all the requirements of the exemption, then a compost
permit will likely be required. The operator may contact the Section or refer to the compost
application guidance on the Section's website.
Enforcement and Compliance
If the Section receives a complaint about a compost facility subject to this exemption, an
inspection will be made to determine compliance with State Rules.

If a compost site subject to this exemption fails to meet the requirements, then the Section
may initiate enforcement action. A permit will be required for a site that cannot maintain the
requirements of the exemption, such as failure to minimize odors, failure to maintain size
requirements, inadequate buffers, liquids entering surface water, or presence of unacceptable
feedstocks.
Compost Rules
The N.C. Compost Rules, 15A NCAC 13i3 .1400 et seq., can be viewed on our compost webpage:
http://deg.nc.gov/about/divisions/waste-management/solid-waste-section/composting.
Contact the Solid Waste Section
If you have questions, please contact the Solid Waste Section at phone [phone].