7904_INSP_20210224

NORTH CAROLINAD_E Q��
OepeNnenf of Envlronmmbl 0uel�
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
UNIT TYPE:
Lined
X
LCID
YW
Transfer
Compost
SLAS
COUNTY: Rockingham
MSWLF
PERMIT NO.: 7904-MSWLF-1995
Closed
HHW
White
X
Incin
T&P
X
FIRM
MSWLF
goods
FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE
CDLF
Tire T&P/
X
Tire
Industrial
DEMO
SDTF
Collection
Monofill
Landfill
Date of Site Inspection: February 24, 2021
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Rockingham County Landfill
281 Shuff Road
Madison, NC 27025
Date of Last Inspection: March 12 and June 23, 2020
GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat: 36.36455 ° Long: 79.84336
FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Ronnie Tate, Engineering and Public Utilities Director
Telephone: [phone] (office) — 336-634-7111 (mobile)
Email address: rtate(cr�,co.rockingham.nc.us
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
P. O. Box 132
Wentworth, NC 27375
PARTICIPANTS:
Edward Shelton, Landfill Supervisor — Rockingham County
Jordan Russ, Permitting Engineer — Solid Waste Section
Susan Heim, Environmental Senior Specialist — Solid Waste Section
STATUS OF PERMIT:
7904-MSWLF: Original Permit to Construct: issued August 16, 1994
7904-MSWLF: Original Permit to Operate: issued May 5, 1995
Permit Amendment 1: issued July 21, 1997
Permit Amendment 2: issued March 21, 2000
Permit to Operate Phase 2: issued May 2, 2002
Permit to Construct Phase 3: issued January 23, 2006
Permit to Operate Phase 3: issued May 23, 2007
Permit to Operate (Modification of Permitted Side Slopes): issued April 9, 2009
Permit to Operate (Authorization to Construct Landfill Gas System): issued April 25, 2011
Permit to Operate Phases 1, 2 and 3 Vertical Expansion — LIFE OF SITE: issued April 12, 2019
Permit to Construct Phase 4 Lateral Expansion: issued April 12, 2019
Permit to Operate Phase 4 Lateral Expansion: issued March 27, 2020
PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection
STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
A. CORRECTIVE MEASURES IN PROGRESS: 15 A NCAC 13B .1626(2)(a) states, in part: "the owners or
operators of all MSWLF units must cover disposed solid waste with six inches of earthen material at the end of
each operating day, or at more frequent intervals if necessary, to control disease vectors, fires, odors, blowing
Page 1 of 10

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
NORTH CAROLINA
Solid Waste Section
litter, and scavenging."
This past noted violation was originally observed during an inspection on October 22, 2019. Although some
corrective actions had been taken by landfill staff following that inspection, the observed violation was not
able to be cleared during subsequent inspections on March 12 and June 23, 2020 based on uncovered and
windblown waste found at the facility on those dates. During this inspection, uncovered and windblown
waste was again observed in many locations around the active landfill, including the tipping/operating
area, the access roadway, and the internal and external slopes of the new, unused Cell 4-B.
Following this inspection, Mr. Shelton provided photos of several of the areas of concern at close of
operations as requested. Because these photos indicated that waste remained uncovered and had not been
cleaned from equipment or collected from the areas surrounding the working face, a phone call was
initiated to Ronnie Tate to discuss the situation. Mr. Tate indicated that he had seen the follow-up photos
taken by Mr. Shelton and was in agreement that adequate cover and windblown waste were still a problem
based on these photos.
Additional inspections and follow-up discussions will take place to ensure that all of the corrective actions
required to achieve compliance are completed and that the following procedures have been successfully
integrated into Rockingham County's daily operations:
• Cover all waste in and around the working face with at least 6" of clean soil or approved alternative
cover material at the end of every operating day;
• Collect and remove all waste from machinery and equipment, including wind fence, tarps and
rollers, compactors and loaders;
• Inspect the access roadway and all areas of the landfill cap and slopes to ensure that no waste has
been tracked or blown away from the working face, and that no waste has been uncovered as a
result of equipment operating outside of the working face, or as a result of erosion.
Internal slopes of the new, unused Cell 4-B. Note the windblown litter strewn across the face of the slope and
piled at the toe of the slope where it meets the gravel liner. In the foreground, uncovered waste can also be seen.
Page 2 of 10

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NORTH CAROLINAD_E Q��
OepeNn.nf of Envlronmmbl 0w1�
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
A view of the external slope of Phase 4. Note the windblown litter strewn along the length of the slope and caught in ponding
water in the perimeter ditch.
OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
No additional violations were observed during the inspection. However, the violation noted above has not been resolved
and tiered enforcement may proceed in order to ensure compliance is achieved at the facility.
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.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
1. The permit for this facility includes the following operations: active MSW landfill, scrap tire collection, white
goods collection and processing, compressed gas cylinder collection, electronics and TV collection, wood waste
collection and processing, inert debris collection and processing, and a convenience center for the drop-off of
residential wastes and single stream recyclable materials.
2. A landfill gas plant owned and operated by the county is located on the southeast side of the leachate pond. The
plant is not currently producing electricity, and all gas is routed to the flare.
3. The MSW landfill is currently operating in Phase 4, Cell 4-A.
4. All photos included in this report were taken by Susan Heim during the inspection on February 24, 2021 unless
otherwise noted.
Field Inspection:
5. Proper signage was observed at the facility entrance.
6. Facility access roads are of all-weather construction, and the entry roadway and landfill perimeter roadway are
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FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
NORTH CAROLINA
Solid Waste Section
paved and maintained in good condition.
7. All of the following facility operations are located atop closed landfill units: white goods and scrap metal; wood
waste; scrap tires; inert debris; convenience center; residential recycling drop-off; electronics; and, container
storage.
8. The convenience area, recycling drop-off and electronics collection area were found to be clean and well -
maintained. The convenience area is manned during operating hours, and windblown litter is retrieved by
facility staff as it occurs.
9. Electronics and televisions are collected on a concrete pad located on the southwest side of the convenience
area. County staff sort, package and palletize materials for transport; and, full pallets are stored on a covered
pad next to the drop-off location. The electronics collection area was observed to be clean and well organized.
10. Roll -off containers are staged along a gravel access road south of the convenience area. This area was observed
to be in need of repair. Operations on this area of the closed landfill appeared to have resulted in equipment ruts
that had filled with water. As stated in 15A NCAC 13B .1626(8)(b), "Surface water shall not be impounded
over or in waste." Ensure that maintenance is performed in the container storage area to fill in the ruts
and prevent water from ponding on top of the closed landfill, and to repair any damage to the landfill
cap.
11. Scrap tire, wood waste, inert debris, white goods/scrap metal operations and a maintenance building are located
southeast of the container storage area on top of closed landfill Area 4.
12. A tire trailer was observed being loaded during the inspection. A pile estimated to contain at least 1000 tires
was observed on the ground covering the concrete pad above the trailer parking bay. Mr. Shelton estimated that
two trailers would be needed to remove the remaining tires from the site. He stated that the tire pile is covered
daily to ensure compliance with requirements for outside storage of scrap tires as set forth in 15A NCAC 13B
.1107(2)(a), (b) and (c).
13. The wood waste operations area appeared to be in good condition. No ponding water was noted, and no
unacceptable waste was observed in the wood waste storage pile.
14. White goods and scrap metal are collected on a concrete pad located on the south side of the access roadway
next to the maintenance shed. The entire area was found to be clean and well organized. Several units
containing CFCs were staged in an upright position to prevent leakage of refrigerant during storage. Roll -off
containers are used for the collection of scrap metal and white goods that do not contain refrigerant.
15. The areas that had been approved for partial closure at the active landfill were observed to be in good condition.
Slopes had been stabilized with a vegetative cover, and no evidence of erosion was noted. Slope drains were in
place and appeared to be functioning properly.
16. The perimeter ditch around the toe of the active landfill was found to clean and functioning, with inlets
conducting surface water away from the landfill unit as designed.
17. Sediment basins surround the active landfill, and all were observed to be intact and functional. When questioned
about the maintenance schedule for the basins, Mr. Shelton explained that the ponds are cleaned in rotation as
time permits.
18. The leachate pond appeared to be in good condition with adequate freeboard. The area surrounding the pond
was well -maintained, and the visible portion of the liner appeared to be intact.
19. The flare was observed to be operational during the inspection.
20. The leachate collection system for the landfill underdrain was inspected and appeared to be operating as
designed. The temporary plastic leachate storage tank had been removed, and Mr. Shelton stated that leachate is
now pumped from the new collection tank directly to the leachate pond. The roadway used to access the new
leachate pump system was not navigable by vehicle and badly eroded. The unchecked erosion in this area
raises concerns for the future integrity of the pump system and the electrical control panel.
21. Edge of waste markers were observed to be in place throughout the site, in both closed and active areas of the
landfill.
22. During the previous inspection on June 23, 2020, an area of uncovered waste had been observed on the slope of
Phase 3 directly above the southwest end of the new Phase 4 construction. This area had been repaired and
covered as required.
23. Operations were taking place in Phase 4, Cell 4-A — the north end of the newly constructed phase. Phase 4 is
designed in a dogleg shape that parallels and wraps around the southeastern end of the active Phase 3 disposal
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FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
NORTH CAROLINA
Solid Waste Section
area. The dogleg is sloped with a high area located near the elbow curve so that the cell drains toward both the
northern and southern ends in opposite directions. Cell 4-A occupies the northeast half of Phase 4.
24. Cell 4-13, which has not begun to accept waste, appeared to be in good condition. However, windblown waste
was observed in and around the cell, along the entire exterior slope of Phase 4 and in the perimeter drainage
ditch that surrounds it. A temporary worker was observed collecting windblown litter during the inspection.
Management of windblown litter was discussed with Mr. Shelton, specifically the need to allocate
adequate resources to enable the collection and return of all waste to the working face at the end of every
operating day.
25. Access to the working face is gained from the northern side of the cell on a portion of the Phase 3 access road.
The roadway itself had been stabilized with stone and inerts and was found to be wet but navigable. The tipping
area also appeared to be navigable and was large enough to accommodate several vehicles at one time.
26. Uncovered waste was observed throughout the tipping and operations areas surrounding the working face. An
equipment operator was observed applying soil cover to the northern portion of the operations area during the
inspection. Maintaining adequate cover in the operations area was discussed with Mr. Shelton, and he
agreed to provide photos of adequate cover in place at the end of the day. (See Status of Past Noted
Violations section of this report for additional information)
27. The working face was well defined and observed to be small enough to be manageable by the operators on duty.
No unacceptable materials were found in the working face. Soil was being applied to a portion of the operations
area adjacent to the working face during the inspection.
28. During the previous inspection on June 23, 2020, a pile of uncovered waste and waste mixed with soil had been
observed at the point in the access road where the operations area began and the roadway continued up onto the
top of the inactive Phase 3. Although the waste had been cleaned up following that inspection, another similar
pile of waste and "dirty dirt" was encountered at this same location during this inspection. Please review
operational procedures in this area to determine the cause of waste accumulation in this area. Mr. Shelton
stated that this waste pile would be collected and incorporated into the working face before the end of the day's
operations.
29. The top of the inactive Phases 1, 2 and 3 was inspected and found to be in good condition. A few large pieces of
litter were observed, and Mr. Shelton stated that he would have those removed prior to the end of the day.
Although vegetative cover had become established in many areas of the inactive landfill top, additional seeding
will be required to provide the cover needed to protect the landfill cap and properly direct surface water now.
30. A small area of subsidence where water had collected on top of the inactive landfill had been identified during
the previous inspection on June 23, 2020. Inspection of this area again revealed ponding water. If repairs
continue to be required in this area due to continued sinking or collapse, further investigation may be required
to determine the cause. Ensure that the repairs are made to the top of the inactive landfill to prevent water
from being impounded over waste, as prohibited by 15A NCAC 13B .1626(8)(b).
Records Review:
31. Due to the ongoing pandemic, records were provided by Mr. Shelton by email for review.
32. A review of tonnage records for the period July 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021 yielded the following
information:
• 60,914.06 tons of MSW waste had been received at the facility during the current fiscal year. Based on
165 operating days during this period, an average of 369 tons of waste has been received each day.
• 18,914.9 tons of leachate had been pumped and hauled from the facility between July 1, 2020 and
January 31, 2021.
• 983.9 tons of scrap tires had been accepted at the facility, with disposal still being handled through a
contract with New River Tire.
• 89.36 tons of white goods, including 255 units containing refrigerants, were collected at the facility.
Foss Recycling handles the county's scrap metal recycling, and Rapid Recover is contracted to extract
refrigerants before metal recycling takes place.
• 20.1 tons of televisions and electronics were dropped off at the facility by residents. Synergy Recycling
remains the contracted electronics recycler for the county.
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FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
NORTH CAROLINA
Solid Waste Section
33. Training records were provided certifying the following current staff credentials:
• Edward Shelton — NC Certified Landfill Manager — expires 12/4/2021;
• Facio I. Visaya — SWANA Certified Manager of Landfill Operations —expires 6/14/2021;
• Jeff Ikerd — NC Certified Landfill Operator — expires 9/11/2022.
34. The last backup generator inspection was conducted on July 23,2020. Mr. Shelton stated that these inspections
occur annually.
35. 6 random waste screening records from January 2021 were provided for review, with one indicating that
unacceptable material in the form of yard waste had been received. However, information as to the disposition
of the yard waste was not noted in the space provided on the form. Please ensure that when unacceptable
waste is found in a load, the disposition of the unacceptable material is noted on the form.
36. 2 scrap tire certification forms, one from January 2021 and one from February 2021, were provided and
reviewed. Both forms were found to be complete and filled out properly.
37. Groundwater monitoring takes is required to take place twice annually at the facility. Laserfiche records
indicate that sampling events took place April 1-4, 2019, September 16, 2019, April 6-9, 2020, and October 5-8,
2020.
38. Landfill gas monitoring takes place on a quarterly basis as required. No exceedances have been observed at the
facility since 2018.
The working face is well-defined and small enough to be managed by the equipment operators in the operations area
during the inspection. Soil cover is being applied to the area adjoining the working face.
Page 8 of 10

NORTH CAROLINAD_E Q��
OepeNnenf of Envlronmmbl 0w1�
This photo, provided
by Edward Shelton
following the
inspection, shows that
the piles of waste have
been removed. Some
trash and windblown
litter remain in the
area.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Piles of waste are visible around the
edges of the operations area.
Page 9 of 10

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
NORTH CAROLINA
Solid Waste Section
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.
Digitally signed by Susan
Heim
DN: cn=Susan Heim, o=Solid
Waste Section, ou=Field
Operations Branch,
email=susan.heim@ncdenr.
gov,c=US
Date: 2021.03.16 14:03:31
-04'00' Phone: [phone]
Susan Heim
Environmental Senior Specialist
Regional Representative
Sent on: March 23, 2021 to
X
Email
Hand delivery
US Mail
Certified No. [ ]
Ronnie Tate via:
Copies: Jason Watkins, Field Operations Branch Head — Solid Waste Section
Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor — Solid Waste Section
Sherri Stanley, Permitting Branch Head — Solid Waste Section
Jordan Russ, Permitting Engineer — Solid Waste Section
Ervin Lane, Hydrogeologist — Solid Waste Section
Kathryn Jolly, Environmental Compliance Solid Waste Program Manager Rockingham County
Edward Shelton, Landfill Supervisor — Rockingham County
Page 10 of 10