Current through all regulations passed and filed through December 16, 2024
(A) Authorizing
documents. The owner or operator shall operate the facility in accordance with
applicable authorizing documents including but not
limited to maintaining the design and operational capacities specified in the
registration. The owner or operator shall have a copy of applicable
authorizing documents available for inspection by Ohio EPA or the approved
board of health during normal operating hours.
[Comment: Changes to the facility
registration in accordance with paragraph (F) of rule
3745-560-300 of the
Administrative Code may require submittal of an amended
registration.]
(B)
Authorized materials. The owner or operator shall only accept yard waste,
agricultural plant materials, animal waste, dead animals, raw rendering material, bulking agents,
and additives.
(C) Prohibited
material management. The owner or operator shall not accept any prohibited
material at the facility.
(1) Prohibited
material includes but is not limited to the following:
(a) Any solid waste, feedstock, bulking
agent, or additive other than those feedstocks, bulking agents, or additives
authorized by paragraph (B) of this rule.
(b) Commingled yard waste.
(c) Construction and demolition debris,
except for construction and demolition debris that meets the definition of
clean untreated wood.
(f) Asbestos including
asbestos-containing waste material.
(h) Wastes that may
include heat stabile toxins produced by microorganisms including but not
limited to improperly processed foods that are contaminated or likely to be
contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.
(i) Containerized bulk liquids.
(j) Any other material that the facility is
otherwise prohibited to accept under federal or state laws.
(2) If prohibited material is
detected, the owner or operator shall immediately do the following:
(a) Remove the prohibited material from the
materials placement area.
(b)
Manage the prohibited material in accordance with applicable laws and
regulations.
(c) Record incidents
in the log of operations.
(D) Methods of composting. The owner or
operator shall manage authorized materials by utilizing
any of the
following methods of composting:
(1) Windrow
composting. The windrow construction, carbon to nitrogen ratio, moisture
content, and turning frequency shall enable controlled biological decomposition
under primarily aerobic conditions to be maintained throughout the composting
process. Windrows shall be constructed parallel to the line of slope on the
site and turned at a minimum four times per year to mix materials, distribute
moisture and heat, increase porosity, and change the location of materials in a
pile or windrow to ensure consistent composting. If a windrow is in place for
at least twelve months, it shall have been turned a minimum of four times
during that that period.
(2)
In-vessel composting. The construction, loading, carbon to nitrogen ratio,
moisture content, and turning frequency shall enable controlled biological
decomposition under primarily aerobic conditions to be maintained throughout
the composting process.
(3) Aerated
static pile composting. The construction, including the aeration system, carbon
to nitrogen ratio, and moisture content, shall enable controlled biological
decomposition under primarily aerobic conditions to be maintained throughout
the composting process.
(4) Static
pile composting. The construction, carbon to nitrogen ratio, moisture content,
and turning frequency shall enable controlled biological decomposition under
primarily aerobic conditions to be maintained throughout the composting
process. Static piles shall be turned at a minimum two times per year to
reintroduce oxygen into the composting process.
(5)
Vermicomposting.
The construction, placement, and maintenance of vermicomposting beds, bins, and
batch reactors systems shall facilitate the survival of the earthworms. Solid
waste material to be fed to earthworms shall be managed to achieve pathogen
reduction prior to feeding to the earthworms.
(6) Other methods. The
owner or operator may submit a written request to the director for approval of
an alternative composting method. The request shall include at a minimum a
detailed description of the alternative composting method and how the method
will enable controlled biological decomposition and comply with the operational
requirements specified in this rule.
(E)
Methods of conditioning
compostable materials. The owner or operator may manage authorized materials in
conjunction with the composting methods in paragraph (D) of this rule by
utilizing any of the following methods:
(1)
Acidic anaerobic
fermentation. The owner or operator shall construct containers and utilize
microbial inoculum to allow for and maintain acidic anaerobic fermentation
conditions. The owner or operator shall maintain materials in sealed containers
for a length of time sufficient for acidic anaerobic fermentation to occur, and
acidic conditions shall be maintained between a pH range of 3.5 to
6.0.
(2)
Other methods. The owner or operator may submit a
written request to the director for approval of an alternative method of
conditioning compostable materials. The request shall include at a minimum a
detailed description of the alternative method and how the method will enable
controlled biological decomposition and comply with the operational
requirements specified in this rule.
(F) Certified operator. The owner or operator
shall ensure that the technical operation and maintenance of the composting
facility is under the responsible charge of an operator certified by the
director as having completed the operator training required by Chapter 3734. of
the Revised Code and rules adopted thereunder.
(G) Containers management. The owner or
operator shall properly manage any containers used to transport authorized
materials to a composting facility according to the following:
(1) Compostable containers shall be shredded
or otherwise processed to increase the exposed surface area for composting
prior to incorporation into the composting process.
(2) Feedstocks, bulking agents, and additives
shall be removed from containers that do not meet the definition of compostable
containers prior to incorporation into the composting process. These containers
shall not be shredded and shall be managed as solid waste.
(H) Operational control
management. The owner or operator shall operate
the composting facility in such a manner that does the following:
(1) Controls noise, dust, and odors so as not
to cause a nuisance or a health hazard.
(2) Controls the attraction, breeding, and
emergence of insects, birds, rodents, and other vectors so as not to cause a
nuisance or a health hazard. The owner or operator shall initiate vector
control measures as deemed necessary by the approved board of health or Ohio
EPA.
(3) Prevents the occurrence of
fire, the spread of fire, and extinguishes fire. The owner or operator shall
act immediately to prevent the spread of fire and extinguish fire.
(4) Employs reasonable measures to collect,
properly contain, and dispose of scattered litter.
(5) Prevents the creation of water pollution
as to not violate Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code or any rules adopted
thereunder.
(6) Prevents the
creation of air pollution as to not violate Chapter 3704. of the Revised Code
or any rules adopted thereunder.
(I) Facility access management. The owner or operator shall do the
following:
(1) Employ reasonable measures to
limit access to the composting facility by non-employees during non-operating
hours or in the absence of operating personnel.
(2) Maintain materials placement areas and
access roads within the facility boundary in such a manner to allow facility
operations and access at all times with minimum erosion and ponding of surface
water.
(3) Exclude domestic and
farm animals from the facility, except for animals utilized for security
purposes or vector control.
(J) Equipment availability. The owner or
operator shall have that operable equipment of adequate size and quantity for
the operations of the facility available at all times.
(K) Facility signage. When public access is
allowed, the owner or operator shall maintain signs
posted in
accordance with rule
3745-560-302 of the
Administrative Code.
"This composting facility only accepts yard waste, agricultural
plant
materials, and animal waste, and will not accept hazardous wastes,
infectious wastes, asbestos, batteries, or other prohibited materials."
(L) Wood processing
and management. The owner or operator when
accepting tree stumps, trunks, limbs, or clean untreated wood shall do the
following:
(1) Shred,
grind, or chip the tree stumps, trunks, limbs, or the clean untreated
wood, prior to incorporation into the composting process and remove foreign
materials including but not limited to nails and banding.
(2) Shred, grind, chip, or remove tree stumps, trunks, limbs, and
clean untreated wood at a minimum on an annual basis or more often than
annually if conditions causing a nuisance or safety hazard warrant processing
or removal of the tree stumps, trunks, limbs, and clean untreated wood, or when
required by Ohio EPA or the approved board of health.
(M) Surface water management. The owner or
operator shall do the following:
(1) Manage surface
water in accordance with Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code.
(2)
Minimize run-on
from reaching the materials placement area.
(3)
Undertake actions
as necessary to correct the conditions causing the erosion or ponding, unless
the ponding is for the purposes of collection.
(4) Divert surface
water away from the materials placement area.
Ensure that
theland surface of the materials placement area
maintains a
slope greater than or equal to one per cent and less than or equal to six per cent
to direct surface water to
collection points or otherwise control the surface water drainage.
(5)
Maintain any
structures or mechanisms used for the collection or containment of runoff, if
applicable.
(6) Monitor surface water runoff or ground water as
required by the director or approved board of health if a substantial threat of
surface water or ground water pollution exists.
(N) Leachate management. The owner or
operator shall do the following:
(1)
Manage leachate in accordance with Chapter 6111. of the
Revised Code.
(2) Take action to minimize,
control, or eliminate the conditions which contribute to the production
of leachate.
(3)
Minimize ponding of leachate in the materials placement
area.
(4) Eliminate the conditions that contribute to the
unauthorized discharge of leachate from the
composting facility.
(5) Collect and contain leachate within the boundary
of the composting facility and prevent leachate from discharging to waters of
the state, unless the discharge is authorized pursuant to Chapter
6111. of the Revised Code.
(6) If applicable,
maintain any structures or mechanisms used for the collection or containment of
leachate .
[Comment: Leachate may be collected and
contained for reintroduction into the composting process.]
(O) Cross-contamination
management. The owner or operator shall prevent
and manage cross-contamination of feedstocks, bulking agents, additives,
compost, and compost product. If cross-contamination occurs, the owner or
operator shall do one of the following:
(1)
Comply with the more stringent testing standard required by rule
3745-560-320 of the
Administrative Code if the cross-contamination is from a more stringently
tested feedstock or material.
(2)
Reintroduce the compost or compost product into the composting
process.
(3) Remove and properly
manage the contaminated feedstock, compost, bulking agent, or additive if the
cross-contamination is from a prohibited material.
(P)
Dead animals and
raw rendering material management. An owner or operator that accepts dead
animals and raw rendering material shall manage these materials in accordance
with rule
3745-560-15 of the
Administrative Code.
(Q)
Upon written notice, Ohio EPA or the approved board of
health may require the owner or operator to submit a written narrative
describing the current or planned management practices for any or all of the
areas of management under paragraphs (C) to (Q) of this rule. Unless otherwise
specified in the notice, the owner or operator shall submit the narrative to
Ohio EPA or the approved board of health not later than thirty days upon
receipt of the notice.
(R) The director,
health commissioner, or board of health may order that compost or compost
product be disposed in a licensed solid waste landfill if the director, health
commissioner, or board of health determine that the compost or compost product
does not meet applicable standards of quality or causes or threatens to cause a
nuisance or adversely affects the public health,
safety, or
the environment.
