Certified Compost Facility Operators
The Compost Council of Canada promotes environmentally responsible and compliant operations, and endeavors to raise the level of professionalism within our industry. Certification of facility operations staff achieves this goal by providing a structured means of increasing and verifying the level of knowledge. Operator certification programs are also used by various provincial governments as part of regulatory approvals and compliance programs.
Alberta Composting Facility Operator Certification Program
Program Overview
Alberta’s waste management facility operator certification program was updated by Alberta Environment on January 1, 2010 to reflect changes to the Province’s solid waste regulatory framework. The Program has been renamed, and is now known as the “Alberta Landfill and Composting Facility Operator Certification Program”. All waste management facilities and operators in Alberta are required to meet the new program requirements by September 1, 2011.
Alberta requires that all non-agricultural composting facilities be supervised by a certified operator during their hours of operation. The person who is responsible for the facility shall ensure that all key operational personnel have a “basic certification” as well as any required “endorsements”. Key operating personnel are individuals that are designated as the on-site supervisors who are responsible for operations at the facility. This does not include employees or contractors that are exclusively employed for equipment operation. Employees at landfills and composting facilities that are not considered key operating personnel may be certified at will, as long as they meet the program requirements.
As part of the program updates in 2010, Alberta Environment no longer administers certification applications and exams or issue certificates. Instead this role has been taken over by “certifying partners”. The Compost Council of Canada is the certifying partner for the Compost Operator Certification Program while the Northern Lights Chapter of SWANA is the certifying partner for the Landfill Operator Certification Program.
The overall program is governed by the Alberta Landfill and Compost Facility Operator Certification Guidelines. The Solid Waste Certification Advisory Committee (SWCAC), chaired by Alberta Environment, also continues to oversee the program by making recommendations on program requirements, exam bank updates, auditing certifying partner programs, and other matters that are integral to the certification program. A principal requirement to obtain and maintain certification is the accumulation of Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Alberta Environment has recently updated its Continuing Education Unit Policy, which can be found here.
Answers to common questions can be found here (FAQ). Background information on landfill and composting facility operator certification can be obtained from:
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Certified Compost Facility Operators COVID-19 Letter
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Alberta Landfill and Composting Facility Operator Certification Guideline
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Alberta Compost Facility Operator Study Guide
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New Applications for Basic Certification
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Basic Certification Renewals
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Continuing Education Unit Policy
Instruction and the application/renewal forms for Alberta’s Composting Facility Operator Certification Program can also be found here.
The Compost Council of Canada is the national non-profit, member-driven organization dedicated to advocating and advancing organics residuals recycling and compost use. The Council serves as the central resource and network for the compost and organics recycling industry in Canada and, through its members, contributes to the environmental sustainability of the communities in which they operate.