Agenda - 12-06-2010 - 7c - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

♦ Environmental Monitorin� On-site inspectors at the working face scrutinize all incoming waste for the presence of regulated recyclable materials--cardboard,metal and clean wood as well as for State or Federally banned materials including brush,batteries,tires,pallets,plastic bottles, oil filters, appliances,hazardous waste and infectious wastes. Penalties are levied on loads out of compliance or the haulers are given the option to remove the offending materials. The exception is when a load contains infectious or `red bag' waste;the whole load must be removed from the landfill by the hauler. We have 36 monitoring groundwater monitoring wells as shown below. We sample 28 wells semi-annually for the criteria pollutants of pH, conductivity,temperature,total metals as well as volatile organics using EPA method 8260 and an inorganic analysis for lead, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium and silver. The wells are distributed as follows: • South Side MSW(active, lined) 14 wells: sample— 13 including new well MW-112 Wells are sampled for Appendix I parameters twice per year until October 2009. That landfill had to begin sampling for the Appendix II parameters in October, 2009, • North side (closed MSW(1995) and closed C&D, (2005)unlined) - 17 wells: sample— 15 for Appendix I parameters once per year, and Appendix II parameters (bigger list) once per year. • New(2005) C&D north side- 5 wells: sample- 5 including new well MW 20-1R twice per year for Appendix I parameters plus alkalinity, total dissolved solids, mercury, chloride,manganese, sulfate. (All three landfills have specific conductance,pH, and temperature measured at each well) To monitor methane we have 18 gas-monitoring probes on the north side and 19 gas monitoring probes on the south side. We take gas readings quarterly. Through this testing we discovered in winter of 09-10 a methane migration at the operating C&D landfill edge and it is being controlled by installation of a localized trench system. Seven gas flares are currently used to reduce odor problems, which have unfortunately persisted. There are also 45 passive gas- venting pipes in the closed north MSW landfill that are not monitored directly but control gas flow direction. A subsidence in 2009 at the closed MSW landfill was controlled with soil fill. Ongoing maintenance is required at both closed landfill sites to regrade the sites to minimize unwanted water infiltration. Waste Collection Service Provision The County continues to provide recycling and landfill services county-wide along with the solid waste convenience center services. The convenience centers are primarily for the residential sector in the unincorporated areas but available to all residents. They received over 430,000 visits in FY 2008-09. Provision of recycling collections and services by one agency across multiple jurisdictions is relatively unusual in North Carolina,but continues to be efFective here in terms of the economy-of-scale and centralized provision of solid waste and recycling education and information. The whole County has one phone number email and web address for any recycling, convenience center and landfill information. 20