0104_INSP_20180511

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 5

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF X LCID YW X Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: Alamance
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods X Incin T&P X FIRM PERMIT NO.: 01-04
CDLF X Tire T&P / Collection X Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: May 11, 2018 Date of Last Inspection: May 2, 2017

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Alamance County Austin Quarter Road Solid Waste Management Facility
2701 Austin Quarter Road
Graham, NC 27253

GPS COORDINATES:
N: 35.93973 W: -79.29288

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Richard Hill, Solid Waste Director – Alamance County Landfill
w. 336-376-8902 (press #5 then #4)
c. 336-214-6565
f. 336-376-8937
[e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Alamance County Landfill
Richard Hill, Solid Waste Director
2701 Austin Quarter Road
Graham, NC 27253

PARTICIPANTS:
John Patrone, Environmental Senior Specialist - Solid Waste Section (SWS)
Richard Hill, Solid Waste Director - Alamance County Landfill
Emily Ball, Assistant Solid Waste Director - Alamance County Landfill
Rodney Foust, Landfill Operation Superintendent - Alamance County Landfill

STATUS OF PERMIT:
Permit To Operate (PTO) issued December 10, 2015
Permit To Construct (PTC) issued in conjunction with PTO
PTO expiration date December 16, 2020

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 5

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
On May 11, 2018, John Patrone met with Richard Hill, Emily Ball, and Rodney Foust to conduct a comprehensive
inspection of the Alamance County Austin Quarter Road Solid Waste Management Facility on Austin Quarter Road in
Graham, Alamance County.

1. The facility consists of a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill, a construction and demolition debris (C&D)
landfill, a yard waste (YW) management operation, an uninhabitable mobile home processing operation (T&P),
a postconsumer recycled asphalt shingles (PRAS) operation (T&P), and a Temporary Disaster Debris Staging
Site (TDDSS).
2. The facility operates a source-separated recycled materials processing building. Segregated loads of recyclable
materials: cardboard, paper, plastic, and metal is received [hauled-in] from Alamance County convenience
centers. The recyclable material is baled and hauled-off site.
3. The facility is open Monday through Friday 7:00 am to 4:30 pm and Saturday 7:00 am to 12:00 pm.
4. The facility permit, site plan, and operations plan were discussed.
5. The facility is permitted to receive solid waste from Alamance County.
6. The facility has a convenience center located adjacent to the scale house.
7. The following employees are certified operators:
a. Richard Hill, Certified Landfill Operations Specialist, No. LF-2016065, exp. 11/04/19
b. Emily Ball, Certified Landfill Manager, No. 1169581, exp. 06/10/19
c. Rodney Foust, Certified Landfill Manager, No. 818577, exp. 08/20/20
d. Jeffrey T. Apple, Certified Landfill Manager, No. 950297, exp. 06/06/20
8. The facility also has employees that have received training as a Certified Landfill Operations Specialist.
9. A vehicle scale test was conducted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services on
April 11, 2018.
10. A vehicle scale test was conducted by Fairbanks Scales Service on May 10, 2017 and April 4, 2018.
11. The facility maintains waste screening reports. A minimum of 1 percent of the vehicles received (weekly) are
required to be screened. Records were observed for June 7, 2017 through May 5, 2018.
12. The following are personnel certified to extract CFCs:
a. Jesse Ayers, Universal Technician (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F), No. 639805102950
b. Scott Debien, Type I Technician (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F), No. 930535102950
13. The facility manages white goods in a building adjacent to the office. Facility personnel extract the
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Records of CFCs removed were observed for June 2017 through April 2018.
14. Scrap tires are stored in two trailers located at a loading platform adjacent to the recycled materials processing
building. Scrap tires are hauled-off by Central Carolina Tire Disposal, Inc. Scrap tire certifications were observed
for September 2017 and March 2018.
15. The facility has installed a new groundwater monitoring well, MW-5R. The groundwater monitoring well was
observed. The adjacent groundwater monitoring well, MW-5, will continue to be monitored.
16. The facility maintains semiannual groundwater, surface water, and leachate test records. Analysis is submitted
by Buxton Environmental, Inc., conducted by Shealy Environmental Services, Inc. Records for groundwater,
surface water, and leachate were observed for March 29-30, 2017 and October 30, 2017 through November 1,
2017. An exceedance is noted for each monitoring event. Mr. Hill stated that semiannual testing was conducted
on March 27, 2018 and April 3, 2018, results pending.

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 5

17. The facility maintains quarterly methane monitoring records. Monitoring is conducted by Municipal Engineering
Services Company. Records were observed for methane monitoring conducted June 8, 2017 (2nd quarter),
September 19, 2017 (3rd quarter), December 14, 2017 (4th quarter), and March 14, 2018 (1st quarter). Monitoring
results for second, third, and fourth quarters 2017 indicate an exceedance of the LEL. Monitoring results for first
quarter 2018 do not indicated an exceedance of the LEL. The facility has discussed the methane LEL exceedances
with the SWS. The location of the landfill gas wells MP-5 and MP-6 is prior to the property boundary, which is
bordered by the Haw River. It is expected that landfill gas will not migrate off site. At this time, the facility will
continue to monitor for methane at MP-5 and MP-6 quarterly.
18. The SWS Hydrogeologist assigned to this facility (01-04) is Perry Sugg (w. 919-707-8258,
[e-mail]). Ensure Mr. Sugg is contacted regarding the results of future semi-annual groundwater,
surface water, and leachate testing and quarterly landfill gas monitoring.
19. The facility monitors for hydrogen sulfide at the landfill gas wells associated with the C&D landfill. Records
observed mirror that of the methane monitoring. No exceedance of the hydrogen sulfide LEL is noted.
20. The facility has a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general stormwater discharge permit,
No. NCG120000, effective date 11/16/17 and expiration date 10/31/18.
21. No windblown material was observed.
22. Mr. Hill stated that the facility has two trucks available for dust control.
23. Edge of waste markers are delineated by white PVC pipe.
24. The facility is approved to processes mobile homes at the MSW landfill and the C&D landfill.
25. The facility received thirteen mobile homes from May 1, 2017 through May 10, 2018.
26. Access roads are of all-weather construction.
27. The facility is secured by a locked gate. Facility personnel are on site during operating hours.
28. The facility has a proper sign.
29. The PTO expiration date is December 16, 2020.
30. The PTO renewal application shall be submitted to the SWS by June 19, 2020.

MSW Landfill

1. The MSW landfill is permitted to operate Phases 1 and 2 and [vertical] Phase 3 and construct and operate [vertical]
Phase 4.
2. Ensure the requirements of Attachment 2 – Conditions of Permit to Construct are met prior to the operation of
the MSW landfill [vertical] Phase 4.
3. The facility is placing MSW in vertical Phase 3. In the future, the facility will place MSW in the remaining area
of Phase 2A.
4. Phase 3 is operated atop part of Phases 1 and 2 and Phase 4 is planned to be operated atop Phase 3 and the
remaining area of Phases 1 and 2.
5. The facility maintains records of the amount of solid waste received. The amount of MSW received for May 1,
2017 through May 10, 2018 is 80,616.26 tons.
6. The facility annual report (FAR) dated July 28, 2017 was received by the SWS. Facility throughput for July 2016
through June 2017 is 76,842.11 tons.
7. The facility is permitted to co-dispose of wastewater treatment sludge. Ms. Ball stated that wastewater treatment
sludge is not accepted.
8. The facility is permitted to use Posi-Shell and Topcoat. The facility uses Posi-Shell ~ twice a week. Soil cover
is required to be applied within a 7-day period.
9. The facility is permitted to use tarps. Two tarps are available for use. Soil cover is required to be applied within
a 7-day period.
10. The facility leachate collection system is flushed annually. The leachate collection system was flushed on October
31, 2017 by C&J Utilities, Inc.
11. The facility has two 340,000-gallon leachate storage tanks with full-height walled secondary containment.
Secondary containment on one leachate storage tank is covered and the other is open to the weather. Stormwater
is routinely pumped from the open to the weather secondary containment area. It is suggested that a permanent
cover is installed on the open full-height walled secondary containment area.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 4 of 5

12. Leachate from Phase 1 is gravity-fed to a sump and pumped to the leachate storage tanks. Leachate from Phase
2 is pumped directly to the storage tanks. The storage tanks gravity-feed to a sump (connected to both tanks,
maintaining uniform volume flow). The leachate storage tank sump is pumped-out and the leachate hauled to the
East Burlington Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
13. The facility has installed an electronic overfill prevention system at the leachate storage tank sump. The overfill
prevention system is a level sensor that sends a signal to a tank level data readout pad. At the time of the
inspection, leachate in the leachate storage tank sump was at 0.92 feet.
14. Synagro Residuals Management Company pumps the leachate from the leachate storage tank sump. It hauls up
to 6,500 gallons of leachate per load, three or four loads per day, for ~ 3 days a week to the WWTP.
15. Mr. Foust stated that the leachate storage tanks are inspected weekly, internally (from the top hatch) and
externally. Leachate storage tank weekly inspection records were observed for May 15, 2017 through May 7,
2018.
16. The amount of leachate hauled to the WWTP from July 2017 through April 2018 is 2,281,830 gallons.
17. The facility Industrial User Pretreatment (IUP) Permit No. 0025 was issued (by the WWTP) on July 1, 2016 and
expires on June 30, 2021.
18. The working face appeared adequate, small and compact. The area adjacent to the working face was covered
with Posi-Shell.
19. Stormwater is pumped from atop the stormwater cover of the remaining area of Phase 2A and stored in two
aboveground tanks for use as dust control.
20. The landfill cap contains native vegetative material and is mowed annually.
21. Mr. Foust stated that bare areas of the landfill cap have recently been sown with grass seed and additional seeding
will occur during the cooler weather.

C&D Landfill

1. The C&D landfill is permitted to operate Phases 1 and 2 and construct Phase 3.
2. Ensure the requirements of Attachment 2 – Conditions of Permit to Construct are met prior to operation of the
C&D landfill Phase 3.
3. The facility is approved to accept C&D, inert debris, land clearing debris (LCD), and (used) asphalt.
4. The facility maintains records of the amount of solid waste received. The amount of material received for May
1, 2017 through September 18, 2017 is 6,365.86 tons.
5. The FAR dated July 28, 2017 was received by the SWS. Facility throughput for July 2016 through June 2017 is
18,041.793 tons.
6. Weekly landfill cover records were observed for June 6, 2017 through September 19, 2017.
7. Currently, the facility has ceased operation of the C&D landfill.
8. The facility ceased accepting solid waste on September 18, 2017.
9. The C&D landfill cap contains intermediate cover.
10. The landfill cap contains native vegetative material and is mowed annually.
11. Mr. Foust stated that bare areas of the landfill cap have recently been sown with grass seed and additional seeding
will occur during the cooler weather.
12. The facility is approved to conduct a PRAS operation at the C&D landfill. Ms. Ball stated that the facility does
not conduct the PRAS operation.

Yard Waste Management Operation and Temporary Disaster Debris Staging Site

1. The YW management operation is located adjacent to the MSW landfill, near the access road to the leachate
storage tanks.
2. The area available for the YW management operation is ~ 1.5 acres.
3. The facility only accepts land clearing debris, high carbon to nitrogen ratio material, and clean wood.
4. The facility has received 1,701.83 tons of material from May 1, 2017 through May 10, 2018.
5. The facility recently ground YW on April 24, 2018.
6. The facility had 146.85 tons of unprocessed material on site.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 5 of 5

7. The facility had 1,043 tons of ground material on site.
8. The area designated for the YW management operation may also be used as a temporary disaster debris staging site
(TDDSS), number DS01-005.
9. The TDDSS, designated on the facility site plan, is located at the old soil borrow area. If the old soil borrow area
is used for disaster debris, ensure ease of ingress and egress is created and that the area is graded accordingly.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.

Phone: [phone]

John Patrone
Environmental Senior Specialist
Regional Representative
Sent on: May 15, 2018 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - SWS
Perry Sugg, Hydrogeologist – SWS
Rodney Foust, Landfill Operation Superintendent – Alamance County Landfill (w. 336-376-8902 [press
#5 then #3], c. 336-260-4988, [e-mail])
Emily Ball, Assistant Solid Waste Director - Alamance County Landfill
(w. 336-376-8902 [press #5 then #1], c. 336-264-0007, [e-mail])
Pam Long, Administrative Officer - Alamance County Landfill (w. 336-376-8902 [press #5 then #5],
[e-mail])

Digital pictures taken May 11, 2018
by John Patrone DWM-SWS

C&D landfill cap – forward facing side slope and top area C&D groundwater monitoring well, MW-5R