The MPCA has rolled out its new online service for solid waste permits and approvals. Content on this page is tied to that service.
Solid waste facilities may close or terminate their permit depending on the solid waste activities occurring at the site. A permit termination is available for facilities that do not have a land disposal area. For facilities that have a land disposal area, a closure document will be issued to replace the solid waste permit as the regulating document for postclosure care. The closure process must be documented and approved by the MPCA prior to permit termination or landfill closure.
A permit termination may be requested using the MPCA's e-Services.
Reasons for closure or termination
A facility may decide to close or be forced to close by the MPCA for any of the following reasons:
- the owner or operator declares the solid waste management facility closed
- for a land disposal facility, all fill areas reach permitted final grade
- an agency permit held by the facility expires, and renewal of the permit is not applied for, or is applied for and denied
- an agency permit for the facility is revoked
- an agency order to cease operations is issued
- the facility is an existing unpermitted land disposal site
- the capacity for the county or facility is exceeded
- the required financial assurance for closure, postclosure care, or corrective actions is not maintained with the proper payment or substitute instrument
- the facility is unpermitted, is not a land disposal site, or is required to be permitted and the owner or operator has not applied for a permit within 180 days after Nov. 15, 1988
- the facility is a transfer facility operating under an extended permit term and was required by the agency to apply for a permit and failed to do so or applied for the permit as required by the agency and was denied.
Closure procedures
Permittees planning to close their facility must follow these closure procedures:
- 90 days prior to facility closure: notify the MPCA of the intent for final facility closure and timeline for closure activities
- 60 days prior to facility closure: post a sign at the entrance of the facility indicating the date of closure; and post alternative solid waste management facilities for existing customers to use
- 30 days prior to facility closure: publish a notice of closure in the local newspaper and provide a copy of the notice to the MPCA within ten days after the date of publication
- 30 days after receiving the last shipment of waste: the owner or operator must begin the final closure activities outlined in the approved closure plan for the solid waste management facility or closure document. The MPCA may approve a longer period if the owner or operator demonstrates that the closure activities will take longer due to adverse weather or other factors not in the control of the owner or operator.
Closure certification
The closure certification process ensures solid waste management facilities are closed in a manner that eliminates, minimizes, or controls the escape of pollutants to ground water or surface waters, to soils, or to the atmosphere during the postclosure period.
Solid waste facilities with land disposal areas
When the final facility or fill phase closure is completed, the owner shall submit a certification that the facility or phase has been closed in accordance with applicable closure procedures and plans. The certification must include an engineer registered in Minnesota and contain:
- a completed and signed Site Closure Record and as-built plans showing changes from the original design plans
- testing results indicating compliance with final cover, waste removal, equipment decontamination, and other closure requirements
- other forms of documentation such as pictures showing the construction techniques used during closure
- for the final facility closure certification, a copy of the deed notation filed with the county recorder and carrying the recorder's seal and includes a detailed description of the waste types accepted at the facility, what the facility was used for, and
a survey plat of the site prepared and certified by a land surveyor registered in Minnesota.
All other facilities
The owner or operator shall submit a document that includes a certification demonstrating that all steps in the closure plan have been completed.
Closure document plans
The following plans are required for all facilities when applying for a closure document:
- Closure Certification Report
- Contingency Action Plan, with Cost Estimates*
- Emergency Response Plan*
- Inspection Schedule*
- Land Disposal Postclosure Care Plan, with Cost Estimates*
- Site Map(s)
- Well Inventory and Plan Map(s)
The following documents may be required:
- Additional Permittee Signatures*
- Binding Written Agreement
- Closure Plan, with Cost Estimates*
- Compliance Boundary Map(s)
- Construction Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan
- Environmental Monitoring Sampling and Analysis Plan
- Financial Assurance Mechanism
- Sensitive Areas*
*Checklists must be submitted with this plan, or a supplemental form exists for this attachment. Checklists and forms can be found on the individual permits page.