7504T_INSP_20211109

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FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
UNIT TYPE:
Lined
LCID
YW
Transfer
X
Compost
SLAS
COUNTY: POLK
MSWLF
PERMIT NO.: 7504T-TRANSFER-2005
Closed
HHW
White
X
Incin
T&P
X
FIRM
MSWLF
goods
FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE
CDLF
TireT&P/
X
Tire
Industrial
DFAR)
SDTF
Collection
Monofill
Landfill
Date of Site Inspection: 11/09/2021 & 11/18/2021
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Polk County Transfer Station
322 Landfill Rd
Mill Spring, NC 28756
Date of Last Inspection: 12/10/2020
GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 35.3188' Long.:-82.1820'
FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Larry Walker, Solid Waste Director
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
PO Box 308
Columbus, NC 28722
PARTICIPANTS:
Larry Walker, Polk County
Lee Hill, NCDEQ-Solid Waste Section
STATUS OF PERMIT:
Permit to Operate issued December 9, 2015
Operations Plan approved December 9, 2015
Permit renewal application currently 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.
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D_E FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
�aAT��ARo��NA �
°°�` ItItE111111°�'°"��� Solid Waste Section
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1. All photos were taken by Lee Hill
2. The facility's hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm and Saturday, 8:00am to
4:00pm.
3. Neither the Approved Operations Plan (dated December 9, 2015) nor the Transfer Station Assessment Report
(dated June 29, 2021) accurately reflect where operations are currently taking place at the facility. The county
must update the Operations Plan submitted as part of the permit renewal process to accurately reflect
current operations.
Records Review
4. Tonnage records were reviewed from the FY2020-2021 Facility Annual Report. The facility received 22,407.17
tons of waste from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
5. Waste screening forms were available for review. The facility conducts one waste screening per day and the
forms showed the final disposition of any unacceptable waste that was encountered. This rate of waste
screenings appears to meet the requirements of 15A NCAC 13B .0405(a)(8)(A) which became effective January
1, 2021.
6. Certified Transfer Station Operation Specialists:
• Timmye Cochran (expires March 3, 2022)
• Travis Ballard (expires June 20, 2022)
• Jerry McSwain (expires September 7, 2023)
• Mitch Moss (expires April 19, 2023)
• Jennie Perkins (expires February 15, 2024)
• Larry Walker (expires March 5, 2024)
7. Leachate pumping records were provided by email. Leachate was pumped on August 10, 2020, August 31,
2020, September 26, 2020, November 12, 2020, December 15, 2020, February 12, 2021, March 31, 2021,
March 31, 2021, May 27, 2021
8. Refrigerant removal records were provided by email following the inspection.
Operations Inspection of the Transfer Station (7504T-TRANSFER-2005)
9. On November 9, 2021, no unacceptable waste was observed on the tipping floor and the trench drains at the
entrance to the tipping floor appeared to be working properly.
10. During the November 9, 2021 inspection, waste was observed on top of the western tipping wall and on the
concrete footer in the loading bay. Ensure that all waste has been removed from the tipping floor, push
walls, and truck loading bay at the end of each day of operation as required by 15A NCAC 13B .0405(11).
11. The interior walls of the transfer station were soiled and in need of cleaning. 15A NCAC 13B .0405(11),
which became effective January 1, 2021 states in part "...The tipping floor, push walls, and truck
loading bays shall be cleaned with a pressure washer no less than once per month. The
remaining areas of the site building including side walls and any material storage areas outside
of the building shall be cleaned with a pressure washer no less than twice per year."
12. The metal sheeting that had been pulled away from the loading bay wall of the transfer building, noted
on the December 10, 2020 inspection, has been replaced with new metal sheeting. All walls of the
transfer building are now intact.
13. On November 9, 2021, one loaded trailer was parked on gravel to the west of the transfer building and
five empty trailers were staged on the asphalt area between the transfer building and the Recyclable
Center. All trailers onsite appeared to be leak resistant. Specify the loaded trailer storage area in
the Operations Plan submitted as part of the permit renewal process.
14. During the November 9, 2021 inspection, loose cardboard was strewn on the ground where cardboard
bales were being stored. During the November 18, 2021 inspection, the cardboard area was observed
to have been cleaned up. Specify the cardboard storage area and cardboard collection procedures
in the Operations Plan submitted as part of the permit renewal process.
15. On November 9, 2021, Metal, pallets and other materials were being stored on the east side of the transfer
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D_E FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
�aAT��ARo��NA �
°°��`°`It ° "°m° °°��� Solid Waste Section
building. Scrap metal is being collected in an open top trailer northeast of the transfer building. The Approved
Operations Plan does not indicate this area is to be used for storage. Specify storage areas for scrap
metal, pallets and other recovered materials in the Operations Plan submitted as part of the permit
renewal process.
Operations Inspection of the White Goods Collection and Tire Collection Areas
16. On November 9, 2021, white goods containing refrigerant gases were observed laying on their back and sides
and intermingled with other white goods and scrap metal. Some refrigerators and freezers were observed to be
crushed, allowing any refrigerants present to be released into the atmosphere. The Approved Operations Plan
dated July,14, 2015, 2.1.3 "White Goods Collection Area" states, "White goods and metals are stored in a
location adjacent to the inactive C&D landfill. White goods and metals are to be removed at least twice per
year, or any time the volume of metals exceeds the available storage area. The County stores appliances
containing Freon in a storage container with a locked door in order to prevent the off -hours tampering with
freon-containing appliances. The storage of white goods and metals should remain outside of the marked access
road leading to the C&D landfill." The area where the white goods are collected has been moved and is not
accurately reflected in the operations plan. Handling and storing units properly is essential to managing
refrigerants and preventing their release into the environment. Units containing refrigerants should be
stored separately and upright. Specify the white goods area in the Operations Plan submitted as part of
the permit renewal process.
17. During the November 18, 2021 inspection, Mr. Walker stated that the refrigerant removal contractor
had been on site and had evacuated the refrigerant -containing units and pointed out the open top trailer
where they had been stored. The remainder of the white goods were observed to be stored upright in
two roll -off containers. Ensure that white goods are stored upon receipt as required by the
Operations Plan.
18. Tires are collected in two van trailers located to the north of the transfer building. On November 9, 2021,
approximately 35 tires were observed on the ground outside the trailer. Facility staff stated that the tires on the
ground had been brought in two days prior to that inspection. No tires were observed on the ground during the
November 18, 2021 inspection. Ensure that all tires capable of holding water are covered with a water
shedding material or removed from the site within ten days of receipt to protect public health and
welfare as required by 15A NCAC 13B .1107 (2)(c).
19. The Transfer Station Assessment Report and revised Operations Plan, submitted as part of the permit renewal
process, both indicate "Temporary Covered Trailer Storage" where the tire trailers are currently located.
Specify the tire collection area in the Operations Plan submitted as part of the permit renewal process.
Operations Inspection of the Electronic Waste and Fluorescent Bulb Collection Area
20. Electronics are collected adjacent to the Recyclable Center located to the southwest of the scale house. On
November 9, 2021, electronics and small broken parts and pieces of electronics were observed on the ground.
Some electronics had been stored in Gaylord boxes however, the boxes appeared to have been stored in the
elements for an extended amount of time and the structural integrity of the boxes had been compromised,
allowing the boxes to collapse and spill electronics onto the ground. Electronics were observed to be stored in
large metal containers during the November 18, 2021 inspection. Per section 2.1.4 of the Approved Operations
Plan, electronic waste is to be moved to covered storage containers at least weekly. Move all electronic waste
to covered storage as required by the Approved Operation Plan.
21. Fluorescent bulbs are collected next to the recycling center. On November 9, 2021, fluorescent tubes and bulbs
were stored in trash cans, barrels and cardboard boxes. At that time, some of the cardboard boxes appeared to
be weathered and stored outside for an extended period of time. During the November 18, 2021 inspection, the
bulbs had been moved to a covered storage area and had been properly packaged for safe storage.
22. The Approved Operation Plan states, "At least weekly, the electronic waste and fluorescent bulbs are moved to
covered storage containers." Move the bulbs to covered storage weekly as indicated in the Approved
Operations Plan. The EPA states. "Specific management standards for lamps include preventing releases to
the environment by containing them in containers that are structurally sound and adequate to prevent
breakage. The containers must be kept closed and cannot show any damage or leakages. Any broken lamp
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D_E FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
�aAT��ARo��NA �
°°�` ItItE111111°�'°"°'�� Solid Waste Section
must be cleaned up and placed in a container that will prevent release of the pieces to the environment. "
Ouerations Insuection of the Treatment and Processing Area for Land -Clearing Debris
23. The facility is permitted to receive land clearing waste and untreated wooden pallets.
24. No unapproved material was observed in the land clearing stockpile.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.
cn=Lee Hill, o=Solid Waste
Section, ou=Field
Operations Branch,
�� email=[e-mail],
c=US
2021.11.23 12:54:10-05'00'
2021.007.20099
Lee Hill
Environmental Senior Specialist
Regional Representative
Phone: [phone]
Sent on: November 23, 2021
X
Email
Hand delivery
US Mail
Certified No. L_ j
to Larry Walker
Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor — Solid Waste Section
Allen Gaither, Permit Engineer — Solid Waste Section
Marche Pittman, Manager — Polk County
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FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Fluorescent Bulb Collection Area on November 9, 2021
Fluorescent Bulb Collection Area on November 18, 2021
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FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Fluorescent Bulb Storage on November 18, 2021
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