1806COMPOST_INSP_20161006

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

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UNIT TYPE:
Lined
MSWLF LCID YW Transfer Compost X SLAS COUNTY: Catawba
Closed
MSWLF HHW White
goods Incin T&P FIRM PERMIT NO.: 1806-COMPOST-
CDLF Tire T&P /
Collection Tire
Monofill Industrial
Landfill DEMO SDTF FILE TYPE: COMPLIANCE

Date of Site Inspection: October 6, 2016 Date of Last Inspection: October 21, 2015

FACILITY NAME AND ADDRESS:
City of Hickory Compost Facility
702 Cloninger Mill Road
Hickory, North Carolina 28601

GPS COORDINATES: N: 35.78609 W: 81.30431

FACILITY CONTACT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER:
Name: Andrew Ballentine, Solid Waste Manager
Telephone: [phone]
Email address: [e-mail]

FACILITY CONTACT ADDRESS:
Post Office Box 398
Hickory, North Carolina 28603

PARTICIPANTS:
Andrew Ballentine, City of Hickory – Solid Waste Manager
Charles Gerstell, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section
Kris Riddle, NCDEQ – Solid Waste Section

STATUS OF PERMIT:
A Permit to Operate a Large Type 1 Solid Waste Compost Facility was issued to the City of Hickory on August 23,
2012. The permit shall expire on June 8, 2017.

PURPOSE OF SITE VISIT:
Comprehensive Inspection

STATUS OF PAST NOTED VIOLATIONS:
N/A

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS:

15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .1406(9)(B) states: “The temperature of all compost produced shall be
monitored sufficiently to ensure that the pathogen reduction criteria is met.”

15A North Carolina Administrative Code 13B .1406(10) states: “Compost process at Type 1 facilities shall be
maintained at or above 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees F) 3 days and aerated to maintain elevated temperatures.”

During the inspection, Mr. Ballentine was unable to provide temperature records for the most recent compost period.
Therefore, the City of Hickory is in violation of 15A NCAC 13B .1406(9)(B) and .1406(10) in that records could not be
provided verifying that temperature requirements had been met.

FACILITY COMPLIANCE INSPECTION REPORT
Division of Waste Management
Solid Waste Section

Page 2 of 3

In order to achieve compliance, the temperature of all future compost produced shall be monitored to ensure that the
pathogen criteria is met. All compost must be maintained at or above 55-degrees Celsius (131-dgrees F) for 3 consecutive
days and aerated to maintained elevated temperatures. Temperature logs must be recorded and made available to the
Solid Waste Section upon request.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1. The facility consists of a Large Type 1 Solid Waste Compost Facility. Compost is produced from brush, leaves,
limbs, and grass clippings. Mulch is produced from land clearing debris.
2. Gates were provided at each entrance to prevent unauthorized access. Both gates were closed and locked upon
arrival at the facility.
3. The facility had proper signage.
4. The permit and operations plan are maintained in a binder located in a storage shed on the west side of the site. A
mouse nest was found within the binder during the inspection preventing the documents from being accessed. It is
recommended that the documents be kept in an alternate location to ensure they can be provided upon request.
5. No unacceptable waste streams were observed on site with the exception of one plastic bottle and a metal gas can
that appeared to have been set aside for removal. A waste dumpster was provided on site for disposal of
unacceptable waste streams. Continue to remove unacceptable wastes as they are observed.
6. The access road was of all-weather construction and well maintained.
7. No material had yet been ground on site. All land clearing debris was being staged on the west side of the site.
8. No compost windrows were on site at the time of inspection.
9. Adequate distance had been provided around stockpiles to allow for access by firefighting equipment.
10. No stormwater ponding was observed on site.
11. No objectionable odors were observed.
12. It appeared that all required buffers were being maintained.
13. During the inspection, a pile of waste brick was observed on the north end of the site adjacent to the entrance.
Some of the brick was painted. Mr. Ballentine was not certain of the proposed use for the material, but use as fill
may have been possible. As discussed on site, painted materials (brick, concrete, etc.) must meet
unrestricted use standards in order to be used as fill. Mr. Ballentine stated that he would have the painted
material removed for proper disposal or properly tested. If the City of Hickory wishes to use the painted material
as fill, please contact Ervin Lane, Compliance Hydrogeologist, to determine testing protocols for the subject
material. Mr. Lane can be reached at [phone] or [e-mail].

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

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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: 10/19/16 X Email Hand delivery US Mail Certified No. [ _]

Copies: Deb Aja, Western District Supervisor - Solid Waste Section
Tony Gallagher, Composting & Land Application Branch Head – Solid Waste Section
Jessica Montie, Compliance Officer - Solid Waste Section