9226_INSP_20231115

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 1 of 5
UNIT TYPE:
Lined MSWLF LCID YW Transfer Compost SLAS COUNTY: WAKE
Closed MSWLF HHW White goods Incin T&P X FIRM PERMIT NO.: 9226-CDLF-2020
CDLF X Tire T&P / Collection Tire Monofill Industrial Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: November 15, 2023 Date of Last Inspection: July 27, 2022
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS: Shotwell Landfill 4724 Smithfield Road Wendell, NC 27591
GPS COORDINATES: Lat.: 35.72417 Long.: -78.4349 FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Patrick Messinger, Area President, 678-549-7874 (m), [e-mail]
Cooper Tharp, Landfill Manager, 919-349-1772 (m), [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Same as above PARTICIPANTS: Tim Davis, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Cooper Tharp, Meridian Waste
Patrick Messinger, Meridian Waste
Murray Long, Meridian Waste STATUS OF PERMIT:
A modified Permit to Operate Shotwell Landfill, Phases 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and Permit to Construct Phase 6, which includes an increase in annual tonnage (365,000 tons per year) and an expanded service area, was issued to Meridian Waste North Carolina, LLC (Owner) and Shotwell Landfill, Inc. (Operator) on January 6, 2023, and will expire on January 10, 2061. PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT: Comprehensive Compliance Inspection
STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
A. Permit to Operate, Attachment 3, Part III, (25) “Unless alternative materials or an alternative thickness of cover has been approved by the Section, waste must be covered with six inches of earthen materials when the waste disposal area exceeds one-half acre and at least once
weekly. Cover must be placed at more frequent intervals if necessary to control disease vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter, and scavenging. A notation of the date and time of the cover must be recorded in the operating record.” RESOLVED: At the time of this inspection, the active working face appeared to be less than ½ acre in
size.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 2 of 5

B. Permit to Operate, Attachment 3, Part III, (22)(a) “A responsible individual certified in landfill operations must be on-site during all operating hours of the facility at all times while open for public use to ensure compliance with operational requirements.”
RESOLVED: At the time of this inspection, at least two individuals certified in landfill operations were present on site. Certified landfill operations training certificates were verified for multiple facility staff.

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
None

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Shotwell Landfill is a construction and demolition landfill permitted to receive up to 365,000 tons of waste per
year, or approximately 1000 tons per day. The facility has received a permit to construct Phase 6 of the landfill
and has completed land clearing activities for this project. The facility broke ground on the construction of the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) on September 6, 2023. 1. The facility is fenced and is secured by a locking gate when it is not open for operation. 2. The correct signage is posted at the entrance of the facility listing the facility name, permit number, hours
of operation, and a list of unacceptable wastes. Ensure emergency contact information is also included on the posted signage. 3. The facility accepts waste Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. 4. The interior roadways are of all-weather construction and are maintained in good condition. 5. The facility permit, operations plan, water quality and landfill gas monitoring reports, and training records
were available onsite and were reviewed with Mr. Tharp.
6. The following are certified facility personnel: a) Cooper Tharp, Certified Landfill Operations Specialist, LF-2022007, exp. 3/8/2025; EPA Approved Asbestos Supervisor (40-Hour) Training Course, #7023040006, exp. 4/14/2024 b) Christina Wainwright, Certified Landfill Operations Specialist, LF-2022048, exp. 8/25/2025
c) Brad Scherer, Certified Landfill Operations Specialist, LF-2023096, exp. 11/10/2026 d) Paul Best, Certified Landfill Operations Specialist, LF-2023103, exp. 11/15/2026 Mr. Tharp has completed the Asbestos Supervisor Initial (40-Hour) Training Course for . 7. Waste screening records were verified up to 11/10/2023. Facility staff screen 1% of incoming loads. It is
recommended that in addition to incoming load descriptions, records of rejected loads and removal of
prohibited wastes are also maintained within the operation record. 8. At the time of this inspection, several piles of inert debris containing varying amounts of commingled C&D waste were identified on top of the landfill. A large pile of crushed inert debris also contained commingled C&D waste. Mr. Tharp stated that the inert debris is used solely on the landfill property, and
that the commingled C&D waste was the result of the excavator operator dredging up previously disposed
waste by mistake. Ensure that only material which meets the definition of inert debris as defined by 15A NCAC 13B .0101 (28) is reused within the facility. All commingled C&D waste material must be removed from the inert debris piles and properly disposed of prior to crushing. Additional
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 5
equipment training may be necessary to ensure facility staff do not excavate C&D waste that was previously disposed of. 9. During this inspection, exposed waste was observed along the access road leading to the working face, on top of the landfill adjacent to the working face, and on the southeastern side slope. Ensure additional cover soil is applied to areas of exposed waste as necessary to prevent the escape of waste, the
attraction of vectors and scavenging, and to minimize fires and the generation of odors. Areas that will not have additional wastes placed on them for three months or more shall be covered and stabilized with vegetative ground cover or other stabilizing material. 10. Erosion rills were identified on the northern and western side slopes, which lacked sufficient vegetative ground cover. Mr. Tharp stated that a contractor was hired to hydroseed the western side slope, but the
resultant growth was deficient. Ensure that the erosion rills are repaired, properly graded, and the slopes vegetated. 11. At the time of this inspection, a section of the perimeter access road in the southeast corner of the landfill had been removed and was impassable by vehicle due to the construction of the MRF. Ensure that the perimeter access road around the waste boundary is restored and maintained so that Division
vehicles can access the southern and western sides of the landfill.
12. Permanent edge of waste (EOW) markers were observed around the landfill. However, an EOW marker on the southern side slope had been damaged and/or knocked down. Ensure any damaged or missing EOW markers are repaired or replaced so that each one is visible from one to the next. 13. Excess sediment was observed within the sediment basin located at the southwest corner of the landfill,
and the baffles within the basin had collapsed. Also, the stormwater drainage channel along the toe of the
southern side slope was inundated with sediment. Ensure that all erosion and sedimentation structures and devices, as well as stormwater drainage channels, are cleaned of sediment and maintained as designed to ensure they function properly. 14. At the time of this inspection, Monitoring Well 6 (MW6) and Landfill Gas Monitoring Well 2 (LG#2) had
broken locks and were not properly secured. On Wednesday 11/15/2023 evening Mr. Tharp texted pictures
to Section staff showing that new replacement locks now secured MW6 and LG#2. Ensure all groundwater and landfill gas monitoring wells are periodically inspected for security, and any damaged or cut locks are replaced as needed. 15. Windblown C&D, along with woody waste, was again observed in and around the sediment basin located
at the southwest corner of the landfill. On Wednesday 11/15/2023 evening Mr. Tharp texted pictures to
Section staff showing the windblown and woody waste had been removed from the southwest sediment basin. Ensure that all windblown waste is collected and disposed of by the end of each working day. 15. Digital photographs were taken during this inspection.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this inspection report.

________________________________________ Phone: [phone] Tim Davis [e-mail] Environmental Senior Specialist Regional Representative

Sent on: December 6, 2023 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 4 of 5

Copies (email): Drew Hammonds, Eastern District Supervisor – SWS Patrick Messinger, Area President – Meridian Waste Murray Long, Corporate Director of Landfills – Meridian Waste

Digital photographs taken by Tim Davis on 11/15/2023.
View #1 of commingled C&D waste within inert debris stockpile.
View #2 of commingled C&D waste within inert debris stockpile.
View of exposed waste on southeastern side slope.

View of northern side slope with erosion rills and no
vegetation.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 5 of 5
View of western side slope with erosion rills and deficient vegetation.
View of southern stormwater drainage channel inundated with sediment.