Reidsville council approves special-use permit for hazardous-waste transfer facility at 211 Rockingham Drive

The Reidsville City Council voted unanimously Jan. 14 to approve a special‑use permit allowing Clean Earth Specialty Waste Solutions Inc. to operate a 10‑day hazardous‑waste transfer facility at 211 Rockingham Drive.

Planning Director Jason Harden opened the public hearing and summarized the application (Docket SP‑2024‑2), saying hazardous and medical waste transfer facilities are allowed in the city’s I‑2 heavy industrial district with special‑use approval and that council must make four findings of fact before action.

A Clean Earth representative told council the proposed operation would be a transfer station — staging shipments in DOT‑approved containers for no more than 10 days — and said, “there will not be any medical pathological any of that type of waste mentioned; it’s strictly a transfer station.” The company described packaging, manifesting and training procedures and said it operates dozens of transfer stations nationally.

Council members pressed the applicant on disposal pathways and whether any materials would enter the city sewer system. The applicant replied, “we don’t have a discharge and we … can’t treat water — the answer is no,” and confirmed that containers would be shipped to permitted disposal facilities after staging. The applicant also said records and manifests would be kept and made available for city inspection.

As conditions of approval, council required: that the use be contained entirely within the existing principal structure; compliance with the city’s special‑use criteria for hazardous and medical waste transfer facilities; and adherence to applicable North Carolina building and fire codes. The planning staff had also recommended contingency plans, site safeguards to prevent off‑site discharges, and routine inspection access by city officials.

The applicant told the council it maintains liability insurance and contingency resources; insurance figures in the application packet include $5 million commercial general liability, $5 million automobile liability and a $10 million umbrella policy. Council members also were told the petitioner would submit contingency plans and any monitoring/analyses requested by the city in the event of a spill.

Councilman Martin moved to approve the permit; Councilwoman Scobble seconded. The council then voted in favor of each of the four required findings of fact and approved the special‑use permit with the staff‑recommended conditions.

The council closed the public hearing and approved the permit by voice/hand vote. The permit approval requires the petitioner to submit contingency plans and comply with regular inspection and recordkeeping obligations before operations begin.