If your facility produces compost or uses it to make topsoil, then your facility may need to file for a permit or registration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation!
Your composting facility needs a NYSDEC registration to operate if you accept more than 3,000 cubic yards per year of yard trimmings or a NYSDEC permit if you accept more than 10,000 cubic yards per year of yard trimmings which includes but is not limited to tree branches, tree stumps, leaves, grass clippings, and other garden or plant debris.
Along with the general permit requirements for any solid waste management facility, a composting or other organics recycling facility permit requires additional plans that are specific towards your composting operations.
Such plans include a:
- Design and Operation Plan
- Odor Control and Response Plan
- Compost Maturity and Distribution Plan
- And possibly a Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) or Construction Quality Control (CQC) Plan if your facility uses a low-permeability soil to minimize leachate release.
If you produce finished compost from materials other than yard trimmings such as biosolids, sludge, or source-separated organics, then your permit must also incorporate sampling that analyzes various parameters including but not limited to pH, total solids, ammonia, nitrate, total phosphorus, fecal coliform or salmonella sp. bacteria, etc.
In order to ensure that you are operating in compliance with the new Part 360/361 regulations, Walden Environmental Engineering can help you start the permitting process today. Please call Walden as we have many experienced Solid Waste experts on staff who can help you get started with your permit or registration application!