SWANA - Washington Evergreen Chapter

MANAGER OF LANDFILL OPERATIONS (MOLO) CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING

SWANA provides training courses and certification exams for landfill operators. The Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) course is highly recommended for those interested in taking the Landfill Certification Exam, but is not required. Landfill operator certification through SWANA meets the State of Washington requirements for landfill operator certification. The MOLO course was updated in 2009.

The next Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) course will be held September 28th through September 30th, 2010, at the Red Lion Hotel Yakima Center, located at 607 East Yakima Avenue - Yakima, WA 98901. The Landfill Certification Exam will be held October 1st at the same location.

Each individual guests must make their own accommodation reservations by calling
1-800-733-5466 by September 1, 2010. Identify yourself as a member of the Solid Waste Association of North America. All reservations must be guaranteed and accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card.

Room rates are $89.95 for single occupancy; $94.95 for double occupancy; $99.95 for triple occupancy. Hotel rates are subject to state and local taxes.

Member Rates and Non-Member Rates will be posted with online registration.

Online registration is available at www.regonline.com/molo2010

Washington Evergreen Chapter conducts MOLO training courses on an as needed basis. Classes are scheduled when there are at least a dozen or more people interested in taking the course. Send an email to molo.washington@hotmail.com if you are interested in having the chapter conduct a MOLO course. SWANA National provides MOLO classes and examinations at other locations throughout the year. For more information, go to www.swana.org.

Landfill Certification Information

Certification Criteria
To be eligible for SWANA certification you must:

Successfully complete SWANA’s Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) Examination.

Meet SWANA’s eligibility requirements, as determined by completion of a Certification Application.

If you would like to apply for certification as a Certified Landfill Manager, Landfill Inspector, or Landfill Technical Associate, you must complete a Certification Application. The State of Washington accepts all three certification levels as suitable for meeting the requirements of landfill operator certification. A Certification application will be available at the class. Applications are available prior to the exam by calling the Certification Coordinator at 301-585-2898, ext. 239, or online at http://www.swana.org and click on the Forms tab on the top of the page.

If you would like your application reviewed for certification eligibility prior to the course, please complete and fax to 301-589-7068 at least 30 days prior to the course date, and indicate “pre-course approval request” across top of the application. Please bring the original application with you to the testing site.

To be eligible for certification as a Certified Landfill Manager an individual must demonstrate that:

He or she is responsible for the daily on-site management of a site and for assuring that the landfill complies with its design and permit conditions, and
He or she has at least two years experience as a landfill manager and five years in the MSW management field (may be cumulative).

To be eligible for certification as a Certified Landfill Inspector an individual must demonstrate that:

He or she is responsible for assuring that the landfills under his or her jurisdiction comply with local, county and/or state permit conditions, and
He or she has at least two years experience as a landfill inspector and five years in MSW (may be cumulative).

To be eligible for certification as a Certified Landfill Technical Associate* an individual must demonstrate that:

He or she is involved in the operation, planning design or implementation of a MSW landfill but does not qualify as a Certified Landfill Manager or Inspector.

* NOTE: This includes landfill managers and inspectors with less than two years managerial experience and/or five years in MSW. If certified as a Landfill Technical Associate, once required experience is achieved, a change to Certified Landfill Manager or Landfill Inspector may be requested. Certification must be current. The State of Washington accepts the Technical Associate Certification as meeting the Washington Certified Landfill Operator/Inspector requirement.

For those interested in being SWANA Certified as a Landfill Manager, Landfill Inspector or Landfill Technical Associate, there is a mandatory three hour written examination. (Not required for currently certified individuals attending the course for recertification only).

Certification eligible candidates who pass the written examination will receive their certificates as a Landfill Manager, Landfill Inspector or Landfill Technical Associate approximately two months following the course. Individuals who were not deemed certification eligible, but passed the written examination, will receive a letter which states those facts. These individuals can be retroactively SWANA Certified if they meet the eligibility requirements within one year. All students will receive a Certification of Participation. It should be noted that the Certification offered by SWANA is voluntary. SWANA does not endorse or guarantee the quality of any work or conduct of an applicant who has been certified.

Washington Landfill Operator and Inspector Certifications
The Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) requires landfill operators and inspectors in Washington to be certified. MOLO certification is recognized as suitable certification. The DOE turned the certification program over to SWANA in 2004. The Washington DOE eliminated the need for a separate certification application and fee from the DOE. Contact Randy Martin at the DOE if you have questions regarding the Washington state certification program. He can be reached at 360-407-6136.

Recertification Requirements
Initial MOLO certification must be through testing provided by SWANA. The term of certification is three years from the date of the exam. Recertification can be accomplished by the demonstration of 30 contact hours of training determined by SWANA to enhance the capabilities of the candidate. Recertification can also be accomplished by retaking the MOLO training course. There is a recertification fee (not included in the cost of the course). If you are taking the course for recertification, you must pay the recertification fee along with your course registration. A recertification application form can be downloaded from www.swana.org/ sections/forms.

Failed Exam
Candidates, who are determined to be certifiable, but fail the written examination, may retake the examination twice within 6 months of the first examination, without additional instruction. There is a fee for retesting. Please call SWANA for details at 301-585-2898, ext. 236 or send e-mail to cert@swana.org.