9503TTRANSFER1996_INSP_20161216

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 1 of 4
UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer X Compost SLAS COUNTY: Watauga
Closed
MSWLF HHW X White
goods X Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 9503T-Transfer-1996
CDLF Tire T&P /
Collection X Tire
Monofill Industrial
Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE
Date of Site Inspection: December 16, 2016 Date of Last Inspection: November 10, 2015
FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
Watauga County Transfer Station
336 Landfill Road
Boone, North Carolina 28607

GPS COORDINATES: N: 36.22032 W: 81.63165
FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: J.V. Potter, Operations Service Director
Telephone: [phone] (o) or [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]
FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Same as above
PARTICIPANTS:
J.V. Potter, Operations Service Director – Watauga County
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section
STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit to Operate 9503T-TRANSFER-1996 Watauga County Transfer Station and 9503-HHW-2015 Watauga
County Permanent HHW was issued to Watauga County on May 29, 2016. This permit shall expire on August 26,
2020.
PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection
STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A
OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:
15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .0402(7) states: “Appropriate method shall be provided to confine
material subject to be blown by the wind within the area. At the conclusion of each day of operation, all windblown
material resulting from the operation shall be collected and returned to the area by the owner or operator.”
Attachment 3, Part 1, General Facility Permit Condition 10(e)(ii) states: “Windblown materials must be collected by
the end of the day and no windblown material may be allowed to leave the facility boundary.”
During the inspection, windblown waste was severe on the east side of the transfer station building adjacent to the storm
water pond and access road leading from the transfer trailer loading bay. This waste had been deposited prior to the date
of the inspection. Waste was also observed deposited into a stormwater inlet located adjacent to the exit of the transfer
trailer loading bay. Further investigation found that waste had traveled through the culvert leading from the stormwater
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 2 of 4
inlet and deposited into a grassed area below the culvert of the north side of the transfer station. It appeared that this
material had been deposited for quite some time and had not been picked up since the previous operating day. Therefore,
Watauga County is in violation of 15A NCAC 13B .0402(7) and Attachment 3, Part 1, General Facility Permit Condition
10(e)(ii) in that windblown waste had not been collected and returned to the transfer station at the conclusion of each day
of operation.
View of stormwater inlet where waste had deposited. View of waste deposited at outlet of culvert leading from
(photo by C. Gerstell) Stormwater inlet. (photo by C. Gerstell)
View of windblown waste on east side of transfer station. Closer view of windblown waste on east side of transfer
(photo by C. Gerstell) station. (photo by C. Gerstell)
To achieve compliance, within 10-days of receipt of this inspection report, all windblown waste to include the waste
located at the outlet of the culvert on the north side of transfer station must be collected and returned to the
transfer station.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
1. The facility is permitted to receive waste generated within Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga, and Wilkes Counties.
2. All waste is transported to Foothills Environmental MSW Landfill (Permit #: 14-03)
3. A gate was located at the entrance to the facility to prevent unauthorized access.
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 4
Records Review:
4. The Permit to Operate and Operations Manual were verified. Both documents were current and available upon
request.
5. Tonnage reports for January 2016 – November 2016 were verified. The facility received approximately 189 tons
of waste each operating day during this time period.
6. Certified Transfer Station Operations Specialists:
x Jim Fink (expires 7/19/18)
x Scott Gregg (expires 3/12/19)
x Jimmy Johnson (expires 11/16/19)
x Dale Miller (expires 5/19/18)
x David D. Miller (expires 3/3/19)
x Terry Scott (expires 11/16/19)
x Douglas Allen Stanberry (expires 7/19/18)
x Ryan A. Woodring (7/19/18)
7. Waste Screening Reports were verified for January 2016 – December 15, 2016. Reports appeared to have been
performed with adequate frequency and provided good documentation of observed unacceptable waste streams and
final disposition of those wastes.
x During review of the reports, it appeared that majority of screenings concentrated on loads of construction
and demolition waste. Please be sure to include all other waste loads such as residential waste to ensure a
thorough review of the incoming waste stream.
Operations Inspection of the Transfer Station:
8. Two separate entrances are provided for waste acceptance. The general public enters the building on the south side
of the building while commercial vehicles and larger public vehicles enter on the east side of the building.
9. No unacceptable waste streams were observed.
10. As noted on the previous inspection report, the walls of the facility are in need of cleaning. Mr. Potter stated that
the county received a quote for cleaning of the facility walls, but the cost could not be covered in the previous
facility budget. Mr. Potter further explained that costs associated to cleaning of facility walls should be included in
the upcoming budget for the facility.
11. The trench drains located along the eastern entrance of the facility were functional at the time of inspection.
12. A small amount of waste was observed on the floor of the transfer trailer loading area at the time of inspection.
Please ensure that all waste in this area is removed for proper disposal at the end of the operating day.
13. During the previous inspection, multiple rats were observed on the floor of the transfer trailer loading bay. It was
recommended that the facility implement vector control measures to control the presence of rats at the facility.
x No rats were observed during the December 16, 2016 inspection. Since the previous inspection, Watauga
County has contracted with a pest control service to control rats. Bait boxes have been provided along the
northern perimeter of the facility. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
14. It is recommended that measures be provided around the stormwater inlet at the exit of the trailer loading bay to
prevent small, windblown waste from depositing into the inlet. Refer to “Observed Violations” for concerns
related to the subject stormwater inlet.
15. Empty and loaded transfer trailers are staged in the paved area on the east side of the bailing/recycling building.
16. Since the previous inspection, a stainless steel storage wagon has been provided to collect leachate that could leak
from a transfer trailer. Any leachate collected is pumped into the leachate system contained within the
bailing/recycling building.
FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section
Page 4 of 4
Operations Inspection of the White Goods Area:
17. White goods containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were stacked on the pavement adjacent to the northwest
corner of the bailing/recycling building. This area was well managed.
Operations Inspection of the Tire Collection Area:
18. Tires are collected into two covered trailers adjacent to a covered loading dock on the west side of the
bailing/recycling building. This area was well managed.
Supporting Comments:
19. A convenience area for public disposal of wastes and recyclables is provided on the north side of the access road
across from the scale house.
20. Electronics are collected within the bailing/recycling building and then placed on wooden pallets and shrink
wrapped for placement into a covered trailer.
21. Florescent bulbs and batteries are collected at the bailing/recycling building.
22. Work is needed to remove all windblown material associated to the bailing/recycling activities to prevent the
creation of nuisance conditions. Please ensure that all waste along the edge of the paved area west of the
bailing/recycling building is collected and returned to the building. All glass deposited beyond the collection bins
must also be collected.
Operations Inspection of the Permanent HHW Facility (9503-HHW-2015)
23. The facility consists of a steel building with three separate compartments for the collection of HHW.
24. The facility was not in operation at the time of inspection. The facility operated on designated collection days
starting in April and ending in October.
25. A steel roof had been constructed over the HHW building since the last inspection.
26. All compartments were locked upon arrival at the site.
27. Secondary containment was provided for all collection compartments.
28. A fire suppression was provided to control fires at the facility. The system was last serviced in February of 2016.
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: 12/22/16 X Email Hand delivery US Mail X Certified No. [7015 1520
0002 6984 8754]
Copies: Jason Watkins, Field Operations Branch Head – Solid Waste Section
Deb Aja Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section
Jessica Montie, Compliance Officer - 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: 2016.12.22 11:28:16 -05'00'