0501_INSP_20230802

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 3

UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF X LCID X YW Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: Ashe
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods X Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 05-01
CDLF Tire T&P / Collection X Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: August 2, 2023 Date of Last Inspection: June 27, 2023

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Ashe County Solid Waste Facility
739 Fred Pugh Road
Crumpler, North Carolina 28617

GPS COORDINATES (decimal degrees): Lat.: 36.52238 Long.: -81.36960

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Scott Hurley, Director – Department of Environmental Services
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 1327
West Jefferson, North Carolina 28694

PARTICIPANTS:
Michael Miller, Landfill Attendant – Ashe County
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section

STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit Approval to Operate “0501-MSWLF-1993 MSW Landfill Phases 1, 2, 4, 5 & 6” and “0501-LCID-2020 Land
Clearing and Inert Debris Landfill” was issued to Ashe County on February 23, 2022.

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Partial Inspection

STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
Unresolved Violation - 15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .1626(2)(b) states: “Except as provided in Sub-
Item (c) of this Item, the owners or operators of all MSWLF units shall 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 prevent the escape of
waste and the attraction of vectors and scavenging, and to minimize fires and the generation of odors.”

During the previous inspection on June 27, 2023, insufficient cover was observed in the active portion of the landfill
leaving waste exposed. The inspection was performed upon initial opening of the facility, prior to any waste being
received. Posi-Shell had been applied to the previous day’s working face but was too thin in many areas leaving waste
exposed. Soil had been placed over the inactive area just east of the working face, but some waste was left exposed.
Waste had not been covered with a minimum of six inches of earthen material at the end of the previous operating day in
violation of 15A NCAC 13B .1626(2)(b).

Inspection of the facility on August 2, 2023 found exposed waste within the active portion of the MSWLF unit. The
inspection was performed upon initial opening of the facility, prior to any waste being received. Facility staff stated all
waste had been covered at the conclusion of the previous operating day and showed a photograph on a mobile phone
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 2 of 3

dated August 1, 2023 at 4:39pm. The photo appeared to show soil covering the active portion of the landfill with no
exposed waste. Staff stated the facility had been having an issue with waste being picked out of the soil after facility
closure due to birds or dogs.

Soil cover must be applied sufficiently to prevent the escape of waste and the attraction of vectors and scavenging. Ashe
County may need to consider additional actions to ensure compliance with the rule requirement to prevent scavenging
upon application of soil. Waste must remain covered until additional waste is disposed the following working day. As
waste was visible during the inspection, this violation is considered unresolved. A follow-up inspection will be
performed at a later date to confirm compliance.

Resolved Violation - 15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .1626(11) states: “Windblown waste
requirements. Methods such as fencing and diking shall be provided within the area to confine solid waste that is subject
to be blown by the wind. At the conclusion of each operating day, all windblown material resulting from the operation
shall be collected and disposed of by the owner or operator.”

During the previous inspection, windblown waste was observed along the toe of the north facing slope adjacent to the
access road. No waste had yet been received at the landfill upon observing the windblown waste confirming that waste
had not been collected and disposed at the end of the previous day in violation of 15A NCAC 13B .1626(11).

Inspection of the facility on August 2, 2023 found windblown waste well controlled. Therefore, this violation is
considered resolved.

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
No new violations observed.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1. The facility consists of a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWLF), Land Clearing and Inert Debris Landfill
(LCID), scrap tire collection area, and a white goods collection area.
2. This was a partial inspection to evaluate the facility’s efforts to comply with violations documented in the Notice
of Deficiency issued to Ashe County on July 7, 2023. Please refer to “Status of Past Noted Violations” for
comments.
3. The facility has a service area of Ashe County only.
4. Multiple gates were provided at the entrance to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.

Operations Inspection of the MSWLF Unit (0501-MSWLF-1993):

5. The working face was small and compact.
6. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
7. Inactive portions of the landfill were covered with soil at the time of inspection.
8. Edge-of-liner markers were in place at the time of inspection.
9. No standing water was observed on the landfill.

Operations Inspection of the LCID Unit (0501-LCID-2020)

10. The working face was less than one acre in size at the time of inspection.
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 3

11. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
12. Please be sure to cover all waste to include the side slopes when applying soil cover.
13. This area was well managed.

Operations Inspection of the White Goods Collection Area:

14. White goods are collected adjacent to the recycling building. Facility staff remove CFCs and mark the appliances
with “GO”. Once CFCs are removed, the appliances are placed on the metal pile or loaded into the trailer
designated for metal collection.
15. All appliances were maintained in an upright manner during the inspection to ensure the integrity of the device
prior to removal of CFCs.
16. This area was well managed.

Operations Inspection of the Tire Collection Area:

17. All tires were being collected in two covered trailers located west of the scale house.
18. All tires were maintained within the designated trailers at the time of inspection.
19. This area was well managed.

Supporting Comments:

20. All access roads were of all-weather construction and well maintained.
21. A water truck was being utilized on site to control dust.
22. The leachate pond was observed during the inspection.
x Leachate was being removed from the pond via pump truck.
x Two aerators were in use at the time of inspection.
x No concerns were observed with the visible portions of the liner.
x The pond had greater than two feet of freeboard.
23. A convenience area for the collection of aluminum cans, glass, and wooden pallets is provided adjacent to the
primary access road northwest of the scale house.
x Multiple aluminum cans and glass bottles were observed on the ground at the roll-off containers provided
for collection. Please ensure any material deposited onto the ground is collected and placed in the proper
container at the conclusion of the working day.
24. Used oil was being collected in an above-ground storage tank located adjacent to the scale house.
25. Used oil filters were being collected in a 55-gallon drum located adjacent to the used oil collection tank.
26. Lead acid batteries were being collected on a wooden pallet adjacent to the used oil collection tank.
27. Electronics were being collected in a roll-off container located adjacent the primary access road near the entrance
to the facility. All electronics were being maintained to the designated container prior to packaging for shipment by
the facility’s electronics vendor.

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: 8/10/23 X Email Hand delivery US Mail (with
NOD)
Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor
Digitally signed by Charles T. Gerstell
DN: cn=Charles T. Gerstell, o=Division of Waste Management,
ou=Solid Waste Section, email=[e-mail], c=US
Date: 2023.08.10 13:57:01 -04'00'