SWANA BC Qualified Landfill Operator Course

Offered now by the SWANA BC Chapter - SWANA BC Qualified Landfill Operator Course

SWANA prides itself on advancing the practice of environmentally and economically sound municipal solid waste management in North America through its professional training and certification programs. Courses like MOLO (Manager of Landfill Operations), offered through SWANA International, provide training and certification for landfill managers, inspectors, recyclers, collectors and others involved in planning, designing and managing municipal solid waste. MOLO and other SWANA certifications are transferable from any jurisdiction in North America as they are Association standards that are recognized by many agencies.

Participants taking the new local content course and successfully completing an exam will be awarded a diploma indicating that the BC Pacific SWANA Chapter recognizes them as a "Qualified BC Landfill Operator". The course focuses on the issues specific to operating landfills in British Columbia, including many operational efficiency and safety related issues.

We are encouraging all regional districts and municipalities that operate landfills to incorporate requirements in their contracts for all landfill staff to be certified internationally under MOLO or to be recognized in this BC-specific program.

SWANA’s training and certification offers significant value to regional districts through improved operations, increased cost effectiveness and reduced liabilities. Although many local governments contract out some or all of their solid waste operations, they are still accountable for protecting public health, safeguarding the environment and conserving and recovering material and energy resources.

The BC Chapter encourages appropriate training for different levels of job responsibility.  The SWANA certification course for managers of landfill operations (MOLO) is recognized as the preeminent standard in North America.  It does however address a level of responsibility, theory and knowledge of mathematics beyond the level required of most landfill equipment operators.  Currently, professionals in the solid waste management field in BC have the option of taking BCQLO and receiving a diploma, or MOLO and becoming SWANA certified.  Currently some Regional Districts in BC are asking operators at their landfills to be SWANA certified.  The BC Chapter is developing  a program delivering an appropriate level of training:

• Managers may elect to take both MOLO and BCQLO training, recognizing that MOLO is a transferable certification to jurisdictions in North America outside of BC.
• Equipment operators may elect to take BCQLO alone as a means to obtain/maintain recognition of an appropriate level of expertise and knowledge. Some equipment operators may elect to augment BCQLO with MOLO so that this recognition is transferable to jurisdictions in North America outside of BC.
• In addition to BCQLO and MOLO, the BC Chapter of SWANA is offering SWANA training certification in transfer station management (TS) locally at the same time as MOLO.

The BC Chapter hosts a 2-day BCQLO training centre with examination once each year, offering a diploma upon successful completion. This is separate from any SWANA MOLO Training Centres hosted by the SWANA BC Chapter in conjunction with Pacific Northwest Regional Symposia.

The 2-day BCQLO training centre is intended to be offered concurrently with a new 3-day Chapter gathering which will be held in the format of an integrated waste management technical conference, showcasing the 2-day BCQLO session.  In years when the BC Chapter hosts the Pacific Northwest Regional Symposium, a 2-day BCQLO training centre will be held 6 months later in another region of the province.

The training centre will form the core of an annual gathering for the BC Chapter and will be scheduled to also allow for technical sessions for SWANA members and interested individuals to be hosted at the same time.

Because significant changes in landfill operations do occur over time, to maintain their BCQLO status, all participants will be required to repeat the full BCQLO course after 9 years. 

It is the intention of the SWANA BC Chapter to deliver a BCQLO course a minimum of once per year between the years 2008 and 2013, and to visit the various regional centres in rotation.

Current Training

Faculty

	Dr. Tony Sperling, P.Eng. - Tony Sperling is the President and Chief Engineer at Sperling Hansen Associates. He is very active in the field of landfill design and operations, having prepared operating plans for most major landfills in B.C. Tony originally developed the SWANA BC Qualified Landfill Operators Course to help front line operators, contract supervisors and landfill managers to understand and mplement the key elements of good landfill operating practice, including adequate soil cover, systematic filling strategies, good winter operations, litter control and progressive closure.
	F. Stuart Somerville - As the President of Ecowaste Industries, Stuart Somerville provides many years of practical, hands on landfill operations and management experience. Stuart is a member of SWANA’s faculty for Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) and Management of Construction and Demolition Materials.
	Colin Wong - Bio to come...