YWN-32-006_INSP_20240923

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

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UNIT TYPE:
MSWLF X COUNTY: DURHAM
PERMIT NO.: YWN-32-006
Collection Monofill Landfill FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: September 23, 2024
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS: Duke Gardens Compost Facility 418 Anderson St Durham, NC 27705
GPS COORDINATES: Lat.: 36.00328 N Long.: 78.93057 W FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Nick Schwab, Facility Manager, 919-724-7527, [e-mail]
Bobby Mottern, Director of Horticulture, 919-668-1700, [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Nick Schwab
418 Anderson St Durham, NC 27705 PARTICIPANTS:
Tim Davis, NCDEQ
Bobby Mottern, Duke University STATUS OF PERMIT:
The Yard Waste Notification renewal form was received on May 13, 2024. PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT: Partial Compliance Inspection STATUS OF PAST OBSERVED VIOLATIONS: None
OBSERVED VIOLATIONS: A. 15A NCAC 13B .1406 (4), “Leachate shall be contained on site or treated prior to discharge. A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit may be required in accordance with 15A NCAC 02B prior to the discharge of leachate to surface waters” During this inspection, leachate was observed seeping from the concrete barrier enclosure containing ground wood mulch,
flowing southwest into a detention basin, then draining through a pipe into a re-circulating surface water
feature. Immediately implement measures to stop the flow of leachate and prevent it from leaving the facility grounds and discharging into surface waters. Ensure that the facility grounds are graded to direct leachate back into the operations area or into a collection system. A certified septic management firm should be hired to pump and remove any leachate accumulated within the
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

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collection system. Mulch and compost piles should be turned regularly to reduce the amount of leachate produced. Please contact Perry Sugg , Environmental Compliance Branch Head, at [e-mail] or 919-707-8258 to determine the sampling protocol for the leachate release.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1. The facility accepts waste generated from maintenance and upkeep of the adjacent Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Incoming limbs and woody debris are ground into mulch while herbaceous and other “soft” debris is composted via static aerated pile. Mulch and compost produced at the facility are reused on the garden and university grounds.
2. The facility operations area is less than two acres in size. The access road to the facility is of all-weather
construction and maintained in good condition. 3. At the time of this inspection, the woody debris stockpile consisting of brush, limbs, and wood chips, did not appear to meet the 50-foot property line buffer to the east. Ensure that waste is pulled back or removed from this area so that the 50-foot property line buffer is met in accordance with 15A NCAC 13B .1404
(a)(2).
4. Painted and glazed pottery fragments were observed within a pile of concrete block, stone, gravel and other inert debris set aside to be hauled to a landfill. Pottery is considered a municipal solid waste (MSW) and does not meet the definition of inert debris as defined in 15A NCAC 13B .0101 (28). Ensure that all non-conforming waste and MSW is placed in a container and disposed of at a permitted MSW facility.
5. 15A NCAC 13B .1402 (g)(2)(F), “for facilities producing compost that is distributed to the public or used in public areas, compost produced from the facility shall meet the pathogen testing and record keeping requirements per Rule .1407(b) and Rule .1408(a) of this Section.” And, 15A NCAC 13B .1406 (10)(b), “The temperature of all compost produced shall be monitored sufficiently to ensure that the pathogen reduction criteria are met.” Temperature records were not available or reviewed during this
inspection. Mr. Mottern stated that temperatures of the mulch and compost piles are taken periodically but
was unfamiliar with the pathogen reduction or record requirements. Compost processed at Type I facilities shall be maintained at or above 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees F) for three days and aerated (turned) to maintain elevated temperatures. Ensure that temperatures are being taken so that the compost or mulch distributed to the public or used in public areas meets the pathogen reduction criteria. Facility owners and
operators shall maintain temperature records for no less than five years.
6. Corrective measures are necessary as a result of this inspection and should already be underway. The flow of leachate should be stopped immediately, and any accumulated leachate within the detention pond pumped and disposed of properly. The Solid Waste Section will conduct a follow-up inspection in 30 days to ensure issues noted in this report have been corrected.
7. Digital photographs were taken during this inspection.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.

________________________________________ Phone: [phone]
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

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Tim Davis [e-mail]
Environmental Senior Specialist Regional Representative
Sent on: September 26, 2024 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]
Copies (email): Wes Hare, Eastern District Supervisor – Solid Waste Section Perry Sugg, Env Compliance Branch Head – Solid Waste Section
Dylan Friedenberg, Env Specialist – Solid Waste Section
Nick Schwab, Facility Manager – Duke Gardens Compost Facility Photographs taken by Tim Davis on 9/23/2024.

View of pipe which discharges leachate into re-circulating View of painted and glazed pottery within inert debris