15A NCAC 13B .0505 OPERATIONAL and closure REQUIREMENTS FOR Industrial Solid Waste LandfillS

(a) The owner or operator of an industrial solid waste landfill unit (site) shall maintain and operate the site in conformance with the permit and the plans incorporated into the permit in accordance with Rule .0504(i) of this Section, and with Sections .0600 and .1800 of this Subchapter, and the following:

(1) Solid waste shall be managed within the disposal area throughout the life-of-site and post-closure care period to prevent the escape of waste and the attraction of vectors and scavenging, and to minimize fires and the generation of odors. The owner or operator shall comply with this requirement using either the following compaction and cover procedures, or other procedures that the owner or operator may include in the operations plan and the closure and post-closure plan required by Rule .0504 of this Section that shall be as effective as the compaction and cover procedures:

(B) Solid waste shall be covered at the end of each day of operation with a compacted layer of no less than six inches of soil.

(C) Areas that will not have additional wastes placed on them for the next 12 months, but where final termination of disposal operations has not occurred, shall be covered with no less than one foot of compacted soil.

(D) After final termination of disposal operations at the site or upon revocation of a permit, the area shall be covered with no less than two feet of compacted soil.

(2) Erosion Control Requirements:

(A) Erosion control measures shall be practiced to prevent silt from leaving the site.

(B) Erosion control measures shall be practiced to prevent on‑site erosion.

(3) Drainage Control Requirements:

(A) Surface water shall be diverted from the operational area.

(B) Surface water shall not be impounded over or in waste.

(C) Areas that have been covered in accordance with Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph shall be sloped to allow surface water runoff in a controlled manner.

(4) Vegetation Requirements:

(A) After final termination of disposal operations at the site or upon revocation of a permit, the site shall be stabilized with native grasses within the timeframe established in the construction plan incorporated into the permit in accordance with Rule .0504(i) of this Section.

(B) Temporary seeding shall be utilized if it is necessary to stabilize the site or prevent erosion.

(5) Water Protection Requirements:

(A) The separation distance of four feet between waste and the seasonal high groundwater table as defined in Rule .0532 of this Section shall be maintained.

(B) Solid waste shall not be disposed of in water.

(C) Leachate shall be contained on site or treated prior to discharge. A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Resources in accordance with 15A NCAC 02B may be required prior to the discharge of leachate to surface waters.

(6) Access and Security Requirements:

(A) The site shall be secured to prevent unauthorized entry by means such as gates, chains, berms, or fences.

(B) An individual trained in landfill operations in accordance with G.S. 130A-309.25 shall be on duty at the site while the site is open for public use and during any waste management operations to ensure compliance with operational requirements.

(C) The access road to the site shall be of all‑weather construction and maintained to allow access by Division staff and fire-fighting vehicles.

(D) Dust control measures shall be implemented.

(7) Sign Requirements:

(A) Signs providing information on disposal procedures, the hours during which the site is open for public use, the permit number, emergency contact information, and other information specified in the permit conditions shall be posted at the site entrance.

(B) Signs shall be posted stating the types of waste that shall not be accepted at the site, such as hazardous waste, liquid waste, construction and demolition waste, or municipal solid waste.

(C) Traffic signs or markers shall be provided to direct traffic to and from the discharge area to minimize traffic congestion.

(8) Safety Requirements:

(A) Open burning of solid waste is prohibited unless approval has been obtained from the Division, and from the Division of Air Quality in accordance with 15A NCAC 02D .1900, and from the local government prior to any burning activity.

(B) The owner or operator of the site shall maintain equipment on-site to control accidental fires and arrangements shall be made with the local fire protection agency to provide fire‑fighting services.

(C) Fires that occur at the site shall be reported to the Division by verbal notice within 24 hours and a written notification shall be submitted within 15 days.

(D) The removal of solid waste from the site is prohibited unless the owner or operator approves and the removal is not performed on the working face.

(E) Containers such as tubes, barrels, drums, tanks, cans, and bottles shall not be disposed of unless they are empty and perforated to ensure that no liquid waste or hazardous waste is contained therein.

(9) Waste Acceptance and Disposal Requirements:

(A) A site shall only accept those wastes that it is permitted to receive. The site owner or operator shall notify the Division within 24 hours of attempted disposal of any waste the site is not permitted to receive, including waste from outside the area the site is permitted to serve.

(B) No hazardous waste or liquid waste shall be accepted or disposed of at a site.

(C) If the site has been permitted by the Division to receive putrescible waste, this waste shall be covered upon receipt.

(D) Asbestos waste shall be managed in accordance with 40 CFR 61, Subpart M. Asbestos waste shall be covered upon receipt with soil or compacted waste to prevent airborne conditions. Asbestos waste shall be disposed of using methods that prevent unintended exposure of asbestos by future land-disturbing activities, such as disposal in a marked area separate and apart from other solid wastes or recording the latitude and longitude coordinates of the asbestos area within the existing landfill footprint. The disposal methods shall be described in the operations plan required by Rule .0504(e) of this Section.

(E) Wastewater treatment sludges shall not be accepted for disposal, unless otherwise specified in the site permit.

(10) Other Requirements:

(A) Vector control measures shall be applied to control flies, rodents, and other insects or vermin.

(B) Barrier methods such as fencing and diking shall be provided at the site to confine solid waste subject to be blown by the wind. At the conclusion of each day of operation, all windblown material resulting from the operation shall be collected and disposed of by the owner or operator.

(C) The owner or operator of a site shall comply with the financial responsibility requirements set forth in G.S. 130A-295.2.

(D) A site that accepts scrap tires shall also comply with Section .1100 of this Subchapter.

(E) The owner or operator shall submit to the Division upon written request any information or records required to be kept under the conditions of the permit or the rules of this Section.

(b) When a site has ceased the acceptance of waste, closure of the site shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) The owner or operator shall notify the Division in writing that the site has been closed in accordance with the rules of this Section and the closure and post-closure care plan required in accordance with Rule .0504(f) of this Section.

(2) The owner or operator shall provide certification that final cover has been installed as described in the construction plan required in accordance with Rule .0504(d) of this Section.

(3) The Division shall conduct an inspection to determine compliance with closure requirements. If the site has been closed in accordance with the rules of this Section and the closure and post-closure care plan required in accordance with Rule .0504(f) of this Section, the Division shall issue a closure letter to the owner or operator that confirms closure of the site, and provides post-closure conditions for the site as set forth in Paragraph (c) of this Rule.

(c) When a site has been closed in accordance with the requirements of this Rule, post-closure maintenance and water quality monitoring shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator. The owner or operator shall comply with Section .0600 of this Subchapter. The site-specific post-closure maintenance requirements shall be specified in the closure letter issued by the Division in accordance with Subparagraph (b)(3) of this Rule.

(d) When a site has been closed in accordance with this Rule, the permit is terminated. Any future solid waste management or disposal at the site shall require a new permit.

History Note: Authority G.S. 130A‑294;

Eff. April 1, 1982;

Amended Eff. January 1, 1985;

Temporary Amendment Eff. November 1, 1987, For a Period of 180 Days to Expire on April 28, 1988;

Amended Eff. September 1, 1990; February 1, 1988;

Readopted Eff. January 1, 2021.