1806_INSP_20240617

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

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UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer Compost X SLAS COUNTY: Catawba
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 1806-COMPOST-
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE
Date of Site Inspection: June 17, 2024 Date of Last Inspection: June 16, 2023
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
City of Hickory Compost Facility
702 Cloninger Mill Road
Hickory, North Carolina 28601
GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 35.78609 Long.: -81.30431
FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Andrew Ballentine, Solid Waste Manager
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 398
Hickory, North Carolina 28603
PARTICIPANTS:
Andrew Ballentine, Solid Waste Manager City of Hickory
Herb Collins, Site Attendant City of Hickory
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ Solid Waste Section
STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit to Operate a large Type 1 Solid Waste Compost Facility was issued to the City of Hickory on January 3, 2018.
The permit expired on June 8, 2022. A permit renewal application has been submitted to the Solid Waste Section and is
under review.
PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection
STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A
OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None
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

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ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1. The facility consists of a Large Type 1 Solid Wate Compost Facility. Compost is produced from brush, leaves,
limbs, and grass clippings. Mulch is produced from land clearing debris.
2. Gates were provided at both entrances to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.
3. The facility had proper signage.
4. The Permit to Operate and the Operations Plan were current and available upon request.
5. During the inspection, Mr. Ballentine stated that all leaves and grass received at the facility is now being sent to
for composting. Mr. Ballentine stated temperatures were not
recorded on the most recent material collected due to the change in procedure.
facility permitted by the Division of Water Resources for the composting
and distribution of animal residual solids. (Permit ID#: WQ0014871).
Mr. Ballentine explained that leaves and grass material received will be hauled off site immediately after
being ground. Composting will not take place on site. Ground leaf and grass material on site during the
inspection was the result of delays in hauling the material off-site.
Land clearing debris will continue to be ground for mulch.
Any leaves and grass not hauled off site for further composting at a permitted site must be
composted and temperature requirements will need to be met as required under 15A NCAC 13B
.1406(11).
6. One large stockpile of compost, one large stockpile of unground land clearing debris, and one stockpile of double-
ground mulch were on site at the time of inspection.
7. Good access was provided around all stockpiles of ground and unground material to allow for access by
firefighting equipment.
8. A site attendant was onsite while the facility was open to the public.
9. No active compost windrows were on site at the time of inspection.
10. No standing water was observed.
11. No offensive odors were observed.
12. No unacceptable waste streams were observed on site.
13. A gravel filter system was provided around the storm inlet located on the western portion of the site. Please
remove accumulated sediment from behind the rock filter on the north side of the device directly adjacent to the
stockpile of land clearing debris and repair the damaged portions of wire screen.
14. The facility access road was of all-weather construction and well maintained.
15. It appeared that all required buffers were being maintained.
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: 7/3/24 Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]
Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section