9701_INSP_20211221

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 3

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: Wilkes
Closed
MSWLF X HHW White
goods Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 9701-MSWLF-1988
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: December 21, 2021 Date of Last Inspection: April 17, 2015

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Wilkes County Landfill – Germantown Site
580 Poplar Grove Road
Wilkesboro, North Carolina 28697

GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 36.11787 Long.: -81.19815

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Anderia Byrd, Solid Waste Director
Telephone: [phone] (o) or [phone] (m)
Email address: [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 389
Roaring River, North Carolina 28669

PARTICIPANTS:
Anderia Byrd, Solid Waste Director – Wilkes County
Jason Wolfe, Landfill Supervisor – Wilkes County
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section

STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Closure Letter for the Wilkes County Landfill – Germantown Site was issued to Wilkes County on December 29,
1995.

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 ceased operations on October 7, 1993.
2. A gate was located at the entrance to the site to prevent unauthorized access.
3. The landfill was stabilized with native vegetation which was well maintained.
4. Edge-waste-markers consisting of white, PVC poles were in place at the time of inspection.
5. Semiannual groundwater monitoring was being performed. Records for 1st and 2nd semiannual sampling events for
2016 through 2020 and the 1st semiannual sampling event for 2021 were verified via the Division of Waste
Management Document Database.
6. Methane monitoring was being performed quarterly as required.
x Gas exceedances had been documented above the lower explosive limit for methane at GP-1 during
multiple sampling events in the past. Wilkes County has taken multiple steps to address the methane
exceedances at GP-1.
x A Landfill Gas Remediation Plan was submitted on February 18, 2015. The plan proposed to remove the
cap from a nearby passive landfill gas vent and install a solar powered turbine on the vent. Inspection of
the facility on April 17, 2015 found the solar powered turbine had been installed as proposed.
x A revised Landfill Gas Remediation Plan was submitted to the Solid Waste Section on August 10, 2018
and approved on August 13, 2018. This plan proposed installation of a gas intercept trench between the
landfill and GP-1. Three perforated risers were to be installed at approximately 40-foot intervals in the
trench. The gas intercept trench was installed in October 2018.
x In early October 2019, the County installed solar turbine caps on the three vents located within the
intercept trench, and on the next nearest gas vent in the waste (GV-2). No exceedances above applicable
standards were observed during the 4th quarter monitoring event for 2019.
x Exceedances above the lower explosive limit for methane were once again observed during the 1st and 2nd
quarter monitoring events for 2020. As a result, a revised Landfill Gas Remediation Plan was submitted to
the Solid Waste Section on May 26, 2020 and approved the same day. The plan proposed installation of a
temporary gas extraction unit on the risers within the gas intercept trench and then conducting a pilot test
to determine if applying a stronger vacuum to the trench will improve its effectiveness.
x On March 30, 2021, the vents located within the gas intercept trench were connected to the existing gas
extraction system via aboveground corrugated piping. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, quarter monitoring events found
no exceedances above applicable standards at all gas probes on site.
x During the inspection on December 21, 2021, Ms. Byrd explained the County plans to bury the piping
leading from the intercept trench to the gas extraction system to protect the lines and allow for this area to
be mowed.
7. No areas of significant settling were observed.
8. No erosion was observed.
9. No standing water or evidence of standing water was observed on top of the landfill.
10. One small tree was observed near SV-5. Ms. Byrd and Mr. Wolfe stated the tree would be removed from the
landfill.
11. The following groundwater monitoring wells were observed on site:

Well # Concerns/Comments
MW-1 Erosion observed under concrete pad. Need to repair.
MW-2 No concerns
MW-3 Need to remove soil from top of concrete pad.
MW-4 Need to remove soil from concrete pad. Needs a metal
tag.

MW-5
Could not determine if concrete pad provided. May be
covered with soil. Please confirm. Tree growing into
steel casing. Ms. Byrd and Mr. Wolfe said tree would
be removed. Needs a new lock.

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: 1/10/22 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: 2022.01.10 15:37:25 -05'00'