The State of Washington requires landfill operators and inspectors to be certified. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) manages the certification process. Currently, the certification process is being updated by Ecology and new guidance is expected to be issued in the Spring or Summer of 2023.

The Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) certification provided by SWANA is one of the certification methods that meets Ecology’s certification requirements for landfill operators and inspectors. However, the MOLO course was updated in 2021 and now focuses primarily on landfill managers. Individuals with less than several years of landfill management level experience are not eligible to take the MOLO exam.

Therefore, many landfill operators and inspectors will not qualify for MOLO certification. Ecology is evaluating other types of landfill training that may qualify for certification. SWANA and other educational institutions provide a variety of landfill training courses. The updated certification guidance by Ecology will identify the types of training and exams that will meet the certification requirements. Ecology is likely to extend current certifications beyond their expiration date until the updated certification requirements are issued.

For more information, see the Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance webpage for landfill operators and inspectors: Certification of Inspectors of Solid Waste Incinerators and Landfill Facilities.

We will update this page as more information becomes available. (Last updated 2/2/2023)