1806_INSP_20210512

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 3

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: May 12, 2021 Date of Last Inspection: January 10, 2020

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
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
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 shall expire on June 8, 2022.

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

Page 2 of 3

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1. The facility consists of a Large Type 1 Solid Waste Compost Facility. Compost is produced from brush, leaves,
limbs, and grass clippings. Mulch is produced from land clearing debris.
2. Gates were provided at each entrance to prevent unauthorized access. Only the eastern gate was open at the time
of inspection. The western gate was closed and locked.
3. The facility had proper signage.
4. The Permit to Operate and Operations Plan were verified. The documents were current and available upon request.
Both documents were being maintained in a three-ring binder located inside a storage shed on the west side of the
site near the west entrance.
5. Temperature records were submitted by Mr. Ballentine via e-mail on May 13, 2021. It appeared that temperature
requirements were being met.
6. One small stockpile of finished compost, one large stockpile of ground mulch, a second smaller pile of ground
mulch generated during the previous fall, and one stockpile of unground land clearing debris were on site during
the inspection.
x A large stockpile of soil with some wood waste mixed in was located on the western portion of the site.
Mr. Ballentine stated this material was generated during a recent grading project to improve the site. The
soil within the storage and processing area was excavated and replaced with clay to improve access around
the site. Mr. Ballentine stated plans are to screen the soil and then grind what land clearing debris is left
over from the screening process.
7. No active compost windrows were on site at the time of inspection.
8. As noted on the previous inspection report, since the previous permit approval, a stormwater basin has been
installed on site as part of the facility’s Stormwater Management Plan. A diversion swale has also been installed
along the north side of the site to divert off-site stormwater.
x Since the last inspection, a wash bay has been installed on the eastern edge of the site. The device is used
to clean the leaf screens located within city landscape vehicles. Solids are collected on a concrete pad and
then reintroduced into the compost process. Water is collected within the facility’s stormwater basin.
x The site map for the facility must be revised during the next permitting cycle to include the
stormwater basin, diversion swale, and wash bay.
9. The diversion swale located along the northern perimeter of the site to divert off-site stormwater was stable at the
time of inspection.
10. Rain was falling at the time of inspection. However, no significant standing water was observed within the
composting or storage areas.
11. No offensive odors were observed.
12. No unacceptable waste streams were observed. A waste can is provided on site for collection of observed
unacceptable waste streams.
13. The rip rap and gravel filter ring around the storm inlet located on the western portion of the site was well
maintained.
14. The facility access road was of all-weather construction and well maintained.
15. Adequate access was provided around stockpiles of processed and unprocessed material to allow for access by
firefighting equipment.
16. Please ensure that all stockpiles of processed material meet the maximum allowable dimensions of 30-feet high
and 50-feet wide.
17. It appeared that all required setbacks were being maintained.

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 3 of 3

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: 5/18/21 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section
Digitally signed by Charles T. Gerstell
DN: cn=Charles T. Gerstell, o=Divsion of
Waste Management, ou=Solid Waste
Section, email=[e-mail],
c=US
Date: 2021.05.18 15:29:56 -04'00'