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Study Guide and Regulations
Introduction
The purpose of this study guide is to explain the testing process and to give preparation guidance for the Solid Waste Site Operator Certification exam and the Special Waste Endorsement Exam. You are given 3 hours to complete the Solid Waste Site Operator exam (131 multiple choice questions) and 1 hour for the special waste exam (30 multiple choice questions). Questions are drawn from the Laws and Regulations listed below and a few questions were based on general knowledge of landfill operations.
Solid Waste Site Operator Certification Exam Topics |
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| Regulation or Law: | Specific Topics | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Environmental Protection Act - Title V - Land Pollution & Refuse Disposal | Title V, XII, 415 ILCS 5 | Sections 21(O) - Sanitary LF Operations 21.6(b) - Liquid Used Oil 22.22(c) - Landscape Wastes 22.23(f)(2) - Batteries 22.28(b) - White Goods 42(b)(4) - Civil Penalties 55(b)(1) - Used Tires 56.1(a) - PIMW |
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| Consumer Electronics Recycling Act (CERA) | 415 ILCS 151 | Sec. 1-83. Landfill Bans | |
| General Math & Knowledge of Landfill Operations | Slope ratio, topography, elevations, cubic feet and cubic yards, daily landfill operations, asbestos regulatory authority | ||
| TITLE 35 IAC - SUBTITLE G: WASTE DISPOSAL | |||
| Prior Conduct Certifications (Chief Operator) | Title 35 IAC, Part 745 | Scope and Applicability; Prohibitions | |
| General Provisions & Definitions | Title 35 IAC, Part 810 | Definitions | |
| Standards for New Solid Waste Landfills | Title 35 IAC, Part 811 | See Specific Items Listed Below | |
| Title 35 IAC - SUBPART A - GENERAL STANDARDS FOR ALL LANDFILLS | |||
| Prior Conduct Certification (Chief Operator) |
811.102 | Flow restrictions, historic sites, endangered species | |
| Location Standards |
811.102 | Flow restrictions, historic sites, endangered species | |
| Location Standards |
811.102 | Flow restrictions, historic sites, endangered species | |
| Surface Water Drainage | 811.103(a)(4) | 25-year, 24-hour rainfall event, flow velocities, commingled runoff | |
| Compaction | 811.105 | Frequencies and control monuments | |
| Daily Cover | 811.106 | General Knowledge | |
| General Knowledge | |||
| Operating Standards | 811.107 | Phasing, working face, equipment, utilities, maintenance, burning, dust, noise, vectors, fire, litter mud | |
| Salvaging | 811.108 | Management Principles | |
| Boundary Controls | 811.109 | Sign Information | |
| Closure and Written Closure Plan | 811.110(a-d) | General Conditions of Closure and Closure Plan | |
| SUBPART C - PUTRESCIBLE and CHEMICAL WASTE LANDFILLS | |||
| Facility Location |
811.302 | Distance considerations | |
| Foundation Construction | 811.305 | Materials, Placement | |
| Liner System | 811.306 | Dimensions, earth liners & geomembrane, general considerations, slurry trenches & cutoff walls | |
| Leachate Drainage System | 811.307 | Design features, thickness | |
| Leachate Collection System | 811.308 | General features & operations | |
| Leachate Treatment and Disposal | 811.309 | Standards for treatment, storage, discharge, recycling and monitoring | |
| Landfill Gas Management System | 811.311 | Frequencies, distances, numbers and parameters | |
| Requirements for installation, system standards, and collection | |||
| Landfill Gas Processing and Disposal | 811.312 | Discharge conditions | |
| Intermediate Cover | 811.313 | Purpose and general standards | |
| Final Cover System | 811.314 | Purpose, permeability considerations, and standards | |
| Plugging and Sealing of Drill Holes | 811.316 | General knowledge and standards | |
| Groundwater Impact Assessment | 811.317(a) | Purposes and transport model approval | |
| Design, Construction and Operation of Groundwater Monitoring Systems | 811.318(a,b,e) | Purpose, records, design and sample collection standards | |
| Groundwater Monitoring Programs | 811.319(a) | Monitoring and sampling schedules | |
| Waste Placement | 811.321 | Location considerations, phasing and initial placement | |
| Final Slope and Stabilization | 811.322 | Slope purposes, vegetation, and structure restrictions | |
| Load Checking Program | 811.323 | Purpose, frequency, records, responsibilities, and appropriate responses | |
| Construction Quality Assurance Programs | 811.502 & 811.503 | CQA Responsibilities | |
| Financial Assurance | 811.700 | Scope, closure cost estimates, revisions, Trust Fund evaluations and notifications, mechanisms and timeliness | |
| Upgrading Financial Assurance | 811.701 | Reasons | |
| Closure Care Cost Estimates | 811.704 | Revisions and estimates | |
| Revision of Cost Estimate | 811.705 | Reasons | |
| Trust Fund | 811.706 | Frequency of change and notifications | |
| Approval by Unit of Local Government | 812.105 | ||
SPECIAL WASTE EXAM TOPICS (Non-Hazardous)TITLE 35 IAC, PART 811, SUBPART D - MANAGEMENT OF SPECIAL WASTE AT LANDFILLS |
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| Notice to Generators and Transporters |
811.402 | Sign Information | |
| Special Waste Manifests |
811.403 | All manifest information, distribution requirements | |
| Identification Record | 811.404 | Profile sheet requirements, re-certification purpose and pertinent information | |
| Record Keeping Requirements | 811.405 | General requirements | |
| Procedures for Excluding Regulated Hazardous Wastes | 811.406 | Load Checking Program | |
DefinitionsThe following terms are defined in Part 810 - Section 103 "Definitions." Any of the below could be on the exam. |
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| Act | Groundwater | ||
| Admixtures | Household Waste | ||
| All manifest information, distribution requirements | |||
| Agency | Landfill | ||
| Applicant | Leachate | ||
| Aquifer | Lift | ||
| Bedrock | Malodor | ||
| Beneficially Usable Waste | Lateral Expansion | ||
| Board | Municipal Solid Waste landfill Unit (MSWLF unit) | ||
| Borrow Area | National Pollutant discharge Elimination System (NPDES) | ||
| Chemical Waste | Potentially Infections Medical Waste (PIMW) - See Section 3 of Act | ||
| Coal Combustion power generating facilities | Putrescible Waste | ||
| Contaminated Leaachate | Publically Owned Treatment Works (POTW) | ||
| Design Period | Salvaging | ||
| Disposal | Scavenging | ||
| Disturbed Areas | Settlement | ||
| Earth Liners | Significant Modification | ||
| Facility | Solid Waste | ||
| Gas Collection System | Special Waste | ||
| Gas Condensate | Uppermost Aquifer | ||
| Gas Venting System | Waste Pile | ||
| Geomembranes | Waste Stabilization | ||
| Geotextiles | Working Face | ||