NSCB RONA PLAN

Plan for National Standards for

Certifying

Sustainable Resource Management

Training Programs and Professionals Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to Zero Waste

Recycling Organizations of North America August 2011

For more information, contact:
Gary Liss, 916-652-7850, [email protected]

Content

Page

Table of Contents

BACKGROUND ……………………………………….1

RONA RESEARCH AND MEETINGS ………………………………………………………………. 4

JOBS AND SKILLS ANALYSIS EXISTING CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAMS ……………………………………………3

ISSUES TO ADDRESS IN CERTIFICATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMS AND PROFESSIONALS ………………………………….. 4

RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………………………………………………… 11

NEXT STEPS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A – RESULTS OF ROC SURVEY OF STATE RECYCLING ORGANIZATIONS (RO) TRAINING PROGRAMS

APPENDIX B – REQUIREMENTS & BARRIERS FROM ROC SURVEY OF STATE RECYCLING ORGANIZATIONS TRAINING

APPENDIX C – PARTICIPANTS IN RONA MEETINGS ON NATIONAL STANDARDS

APPENDIX D – STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Background

The growth in community reuse, recycling and composting programs and communities and businesses striving for sustainability and to address climate change are creating a demand for qualified staff trained in Sustainable Resource Management and Zero Waste1.

Currently, there is no national professional certification standard to support state or provincial training programs for the recycling and resource management industry, and a formal academic curriculum does not exist. This is an area of concern for the Recycling Organization Council (ROC) of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) and the Recycling Organizations of North America (RONA). State Recycling Organizations (ROs) that are members of the ROC offer different types of training programs in their states, and have discussed the benefits of a national standard for certification training programs for a number of years. These ROs are all working to address the needs of the growing recycling and resource management industry at the local and regional level.

In a Spring 2009 survey of 18 participating states, the ROC confirmed that certification meant vastly different things to each state. There was no set standard for certification classes, instructors or programs for recycling professionals of any kind. Respondents agreed that national standards would positively impact the industry while allowing states the flexibility to offer state-specific certified training around a set of national standards. Appendices A & B highlight the data obtained from the ROC survey.

1 As defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance at: http://zwia.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=6. This is the only peer reviewed, internationally accepted definition of Zero Waste in the world.

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It was concluded by the survey and subsequent discussions and reinforced by the experiences of existing state-based programs that national standards would also result in several other important benefits:

• The pool of qualified resource management professionals would expand. Certification ensures that employers will obtain employees that have a clear understanding of the tasks to be performed, and why those tasks are important.
• Certification provides professionals with a way to distinguish themselves from others in the field. By improving the overall knowledge and understanding of workers in the field, certification programs help increase the credibility and level of competence in the field.
• Transferability within and between states would provide universal credibility. More professionals would be equipped with the resources necessary to transition easily from one employer to another and allow them to move more easily from one region to another.
• Resource management professionals would have greater opportunities to advance in career ladders.
• Community colleges would be able to develop for-credit classes based on such national standards, such as the first for-credit classes in the nation on Recycling an Resource Management being offered in Southern California.22 Santa Monica, Golden West and Irvine Valley Community Colleges in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California, building on the content developed by the Resource Management Certificate program of the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA). Funding for the development of the CRRA Certificate

• Facilitation of classes being offered by different state programs in other states to expand upon local offerings.
• Providing a framework for sharing of course content, curricula, references, powerpoints, assignments and proficiency exams among existing and new training programs to leverage investments already made while valuing the intellectual property those represent.Once standards are developed nationally, it will encourage employers to include Sustainable Resource Management Certificates in job descriptions as preferences or requirements to create an on-going demand for this training and attract the most qualified employees. This would work particularly well if these national standards coordinated with national certification programs on the content offered and how to provide reciprocal credits for attendance of similar training offered by each (state and national).Certification formally recognizes those who have demonstrated a proficiency in meeting standards that have been developed. There are two levels of certification that are being developed by RONA: certification of state, provincial or topical training programs and national certification of professionals that have gone through certified training programs. RONA is not planning to certify waste reduction programs or facilities.

RONA Research and Meetings

Funded by a grant from the United States Department of Labor,3 RONA has convened and participated in a variety of meetings, webinars and conference calls to help develop the desired national standards. RONA invited all State Recycling Organizations to participate in calls and meetings RONA convened, as well as representatives from Canadian provinces, and topical associations (e.g., U.S. Composting Council, U.S. Green Building Council, National Recycling Coalition, Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), and the Reuse Alliance).

Meetings were held at the national Resource Recycling Conference in San Antonio, TX on October 25, 2010, at Santa Monica College in California on January 26- 27, 2011, in conjunction with the Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference in Washington, DC on February 7, 2011 and at the national Resource Recycling Conference in Indianapolis, IN on August 18, 2011. Numerous conference calls were also held to explore some of the details in more depth between meetings. A list of all those who attended the meetings above and the Coordinating Committee for RONA on this project is attached as Appendix C.

As part of research on this project, RONA asked participating ROs to share information on their current certification training programs. The background materials that have been provided by the ROs have been posted on the RONA website,4 including:

• ♦  Summary of State Certification Programs- RONA
• ♦  ‎RONA Standards Development- Gary Liss
• ♦  Student Learning Outcomes for RONA Standard- Gary Liss
• ♦  Student Learning Outcomes – Russ Klein Analysis3 The grant was awarded under the President’s Community Based Job Training Grants, as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, Grant number CB-20565-10-60. 4 http://www.recyclingorganizations.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:national- certification-project&catid=35:rona-u&Itemid=125

• ♦  ‎CRRA Certification Program Overview, Bob Gedert at GRRN (Oct. 2009)
• ♦  ‎Defining competence for Recycling Professionals (12-13-10)- AR Boone
• ♦  NCRA Intro to Recycling Bookv2 (12-13-10) – AR Boone
• ♦  ‎Recycling and Resource Management – Global Citizenship SMC Course
• ♦  Introduction to Recycling and Resource Management – SMC course 011
• ♦  ‎Culture and Zero Waste – SMC Course 021
• ♦  ‎Resource Management and Zero Waste for Communities – SMC Course 031
• ♦  Resource Management and Zero Waste in Business – SMC Course 041
• ♦  RONA-U- Collegiate ZW Principles article- Jack DeBell
• ♦  NABCEP_Entry_Level_Learning_Objectives_Sept_2009
• ♦  ‎NABCEP-PV-Installer-Job-Task-Analysis 2010
• ♦  Developing Qualified Green Professionals: Pennsylvania RecyclingProfessional Certification, Santa Monica Presentation – January, 2011
• ♦  Association of New Jersey Recyclers presentation on NJ certification, SantaMonica, January, 2011
• ♦  National Certification Workshop Notes – Santa Monica College, 1/27/2011
• ♦  Professional Certification Standardization: What are the Options?
• ♦  CBJT / RONA Event: Overview – Gary Liss
• ♦  Illinois Certification Program – Mike Mitchell
• ♦  CRRA Certification Program
• ♦  Draft Student Learning Outcomes for Sustainable Resource Management -2/7/11 presentation in Washington, DC, Gary Liss
• ♦  Draft National Standards circulated for public review and comment on April7, 2011
  RONA was encouraged by participating community colleges to consider using thenational standards established for the solar photovoltaic industry as a model. The solar industry set up a new organization and board to oversee their national standards for photovoltaic installers: the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).5 NABCEP developed a Job/Task Analysis first, to evaluate what knowledge and experiences would be needed to get employed in this field.

  RONA proposes that the certification standards follow professional credentialing guidelines (e.g., ASTM E2659-09e1 “Standard Practice for Certificate Programs”6 or ISO 17020, “General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing

  5 http://www.nabcep.org/
  6 ASTM = American Society for Testing and Materials

Recycling Organizations of North America 12/30/2011 5

inspection”7). These standards would provide international recognition for such a certification program.

The first step in developing standards is evaluating jobs and tasks associated with those jobs. Industry advisors, stakeholders and practitioners in the field have been consulted to ensure that the skills needed to perform those jobs have been clearly identified. Student Learning Outcomes have been developed by subject matter experts to ensure that what students learn from training is the core measure of their proficiency. RONA is developing these standards in a transparent process with fair procedures and due process. Beyond discussions at the conferences, meetings and conference calls, RONA also set up a Wiki on National Standards Student Learning Outcomes at http://ronacertification.pbworks.com/ to get ongoing input into this critical element of national standards. RONA has also solicited input through a brief interest survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/certificationproject. A more detailed survey to assess future job opportunities and skills needed to meet those job needs will be posted at RONA’s website as part of the next phase of development. RONA will ask all those participating in the development of these standards to forward these links to their networks to get more input on these surveys throughout this year, to continue concurrently with other development processes for RONA National Standards. RONA will also seek input on these surveys via trade journals and listservs. These surveys should at least request information on:

♦ Existing state-based training programs – update the 2009 ROC survey data identifying what types of training programs states and provinces are offering, and what they would like to offer in the future. Identify who they have been

7 ISO = International Organization for Standardization
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certifying and for what jobs. Identify if graduates have obtained an increase in

pay, job advancement, or new jobs after getting certified.
♦ Jobs/Skills Analysis – Identify in more detail what jobs exist in Sustainable

Resource Management, and where they are located. Identify what jobs will be generated in the future, by sector (SOC Codes) and types of jobs. Identify what skills will be needed for different levels of jobs that will be available in the future. Ask potential employers if they would provide an increase in pay, job advancement, or new jobs after students are certified.

RONA should target reaching at least 10,000 professionals in the field to solicit their input and have the capacity to review the hundreds of surveys to be completed.

RONA will also establish an Industry Advisory Board (IAB) as one of the key next steps. This RONA IAB will build on the work of the IAB that was established to advise the participating California Community Colleges on the development of their curriculum (see Appendix E). These IABs will ensure that individuals who were not involved in the writing of standards independently evaluate the proposed standards. Jobs and Skills Analysis

RONA has worked to identify jobs and career opportunities that are currently available and that will be hiring additional workers in the future. After such jobs were identified, RONA worked to identify the skills that would be needed for different levels of jobs and careers that are expected to be available. This jobs and skills analysis is expected to excite and attract students to the training programs that are currently offered and those that will be developed around the country in the future.

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Jobs can be found in Sustainable Resource Management in many different

locations8,

• ♦  Local State,Federal and Tribal government staff
• ♦  Businesses
• ♦  Service Providers
• ♦  Consultants
• ♦  Schools, Colleges, and other Institutions
  There are many different types of jobs, including entry level, middle level andsenior level positions in the following different job market sectors:Job Market Sectors

including:

8 Minnesota and North Carolina have recently completed job studies for recycling that looked at specific job codes that are applicable.

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Job opportunities are:

Job Qualifications

The range of jobs in the recycling and resource management industry and the skills needed to address these jobs at different levels are noted below.

The jobs listed above can be found in a range of employers including: material recycling facilities (MRFs); local government agencies; environmental engineers/consultants; recycling equipment manufacturers and distributors; compost

Recycling Organizations of North America 12/30/2011 2

facilities; deconstruction, construction and demolition debris recyclers; and building material reuse facilities. Some of the students taking state-based industry training programs are recent high school graduates with minimal education and work experience wanting entry level jobs to enter the workforce. Others include professionals in the field with up to 20 years of experience and advanced academic degrees that want to learn more about specific topics regarding Sustainable Resource Management. The latter include professionals that are changing careers or expanding their knowledge of Sustainable Resource Management to enhance other knowledge they have in other areas of sustainability. Other professionals are taking the classes to gain an additional credential to distinguish themselves in competing with other professionals in the field.

Existing Certification Training Programs

There are two state recycling organizations (ROs) that have developed certification programs that are certified by an institution of higher learning: New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition, there are five other state-based certification programs (California, Carolina, New Mexico, Massachusetts and New York). Three other states and one province are also in the process of developing certification programs: Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and Ontario, Canada.

Several state and provincial programs have also developed areas of specialization for their training programs, including: Processing operator (PA), Compost Facility Operator (MD, NJ, NM and PA), and Waste Auditors (under development by Recycling Council of Ontario). Some states have provided critical support for certified training

Recycling Organizations of North America 12/30/2011 3

programs by requiring all reports to the state be signed by a Certified Recycling Professional (NJ) or by requiring all Compost Facilities have at last one Certified Compost Facility Operator (MD, NJ, NM and PA). Some state programs have also developed training program specializations in the overall categories of Collection, Processing, Marketing, Outreach & Education, and Management and Enforcement (PA).

National organizations that offer Certification Training Programs in this field are:

• ♦  Solid Waste Association of North America (Composting Programs, Construction & Demolition Materials, Recycling Systems)
• ♦  US Composting Council (Compost Facility Operator)
• ♦  US Green Building Council (Materials Resource Credits are included in standards for LEED buildings and recognize C&D Recycling training as“Education Service Providers)
• ♦  Reuse Alliance (Master Reuser® Certificate Program)
• ♦  Building Materials Reuse Association (Deconstruction9)
• ♦  WasteCap (C&D Recycling10)
• ♦  Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA -Deconstruction)Issues to Address in Certification of Training Programs and Professionals

♦ Reciprocity and Experience Testing out – Need to offer opportunity

to test out of classes without taking the classes, based on experience, or

9 See: http://www.bmra.org/resources/training
10 See: http://www.wastecap.org/services/training/

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having gone through similar course work from another state or similar training program. However, if students are moving from one state to another, or expanding their area of involvement to more than one state, they should be required to take courses that focus on the State specific information. CEU equivalents should be developed using universal measurements.

• ♦  Recertification – Need to require recertification at least every three years.
• ♦  Proficiency Testing – Some combination of test, field work and coursework should be used to evaluate proficiency on skills, knowledge and abilities needed for the range of jobs in the industry. National testing should be for a minimum level of competency of the two-thirds of the information that is common to the industry throughout the nation. States and provinces should continue to test as they have been for their existing certification programs. Such local tests would include the one-third of the information that is specific to their area and as much of the areas in common as they historically have done. States and provinces should be able to test for common data issues even if those overlap with testing by RONA. RONA and states/provinces will each administer their own tests. RONA will establish a Testing Committee to obtain input from states and provinces on issues to address in the national tests. Tests should be governed by strict confidentiality policies to ensure their viability and integrity.

♦ Certificate Name and Credential – The initial RONA national certification would be for a certificate in “Sustainable Resource Management (SRM)” to help students Reduce, Recycle, Recycle to Zero Waste. There could

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also be certificates that are offered only through state-based programs that recognize the additional state-specific focus for part of the training, resulting in a certificate that includes the State in its name (e.g., SRM-CA, SRM –NJ, or SRM-PA. There could also be certificates that are offered that recognize additional topical areas (e.g., construction and demolition debris recycling, composting or reuse operators), resulting in a certificate that includes the topic in its name (e.g., SRM-C&D Operator, SRM –Composting Operator, or SRM- Reuse Operator. Operator certificates could continue to be offered by states for fewer hours than recommended for overall SRM certificates, and could be counted towards a national certification once additional hours of instruction are taken to meet the minimum national standard. Such additional hours could be developed locally, or could include classes offered by other states that are compatible with local certification programs.

♦ Instructors – RONA or others could assist in training the trainers for classes around the country and identifying potential instructors for different topics that states and provinces could all use, as desired. As part of certifying training programs, RONA or certifying higher education institutions should be provided resumes and three references for instructors, and those should be reviewed and comments sent to the state or province. RONA’s higher education certifying institution should also review and comment on new proposed classes (grandfathering all classes currently offered by States, and allowing States to add classes as they wish, but getting input from the certifying institution as to what would enhance the training experience). RONA should also work with

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ROs to make sure they have evaluations of instructors, classes and the overall program as part of their process. However, the ultimate hiring decision on instructors should remain with the RO. RONA should allow for a category of “emeritus” instructors that also grandfather existing instructors without requiring them to get certified before continuing to teach in existing state-based programs. One of the major values of state-based programs is the use of local, knowledgeable industry leaders and keeping the costs lower than can be done when bringing in instructors from around the nation. Training of local trainers could include both instructional techniques as well as content learned from going through other state or national training programs. RONA or others could also develop instructor manuals for state-based training programs.

♦ Classes and Curriculum Development – RONA is NOT planning to offer classes itself. RONA’s role will be to certify professionals in the field based on National Standards of Student Learning Outcomes. RONA may help states collaborate in offering classes to each other, and in the development of new curriculum, as requested by participating states. RONA may also approve or endorse training programs. GBCI does not endorse, whereas NABCEP does. After reviewing both approaches, RONA has planned to approve or endorse training programs and should proceed to do so to enhance the credibility of those training programs.

On-line courses should be developed to facilitate broader access to this training. This is a key opportunity for existing state and provincial programs to share training expertise and courses with others around the country and around

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the world, so they don’t have to develop the same courses and can leverage work that has already been done to develop those training programs. RONA should work with ROs to obtain additional grant funding to develop RRM on- line courses.

♦ Coordination with National Certification Programs – RONA should work with national certification programs to coordinate on the content offered in national and state-based programs, and to offer appropriate reciprocal credits for attendance of similar training offered by each (state and national). Related Programs initially to coordinate with include, but should not be limited to: Reuse Alliance, US Composting Council (USCC), Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), US Green Building Council (USGBC), Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). For example, RONA should pursue becoming a US Green Building Council Education Provider for professionals that wish to go beyond LEED and enrich their Green Building knowledge with classes that are reviewed and certified as meeting USGBC’s criteria for instructional design and content quality.11

♦ Career Ladders and Articulation – Once the initial program is established, RONA should work with participating organizations to develop clear training, education and career ladders for students. State-based industry training programs should be able to count to some extent towards for-credit Certificate programs. For-credit Certificate programs should count towards

11 USGBC reviews third-party continuing education courses offered by USGBC approved Education Providers to count for GBCI CE Hours toward its Credential Maintenance Program. See: https://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1654

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Associates Degrees. Associates Degrees should count towards Bachelor’s degrees. Career ladders followed by graduates should document enhanced pay within existing positions, advancement into higher positions of authority within the field, advancement into positions with broader authority (e.g., sustainability and climate change) or other greater successes in pursuing work in this field,

♦ Good Green Jobs – Once the initial program is established, RONA should work with labor unions, environmental justice organizations, environmental health and safety agencies and business representatives to ensure the highest standards are included in the training program content regarding environmental health and safety to protect workers, neighbors, the environment and users of products. Participating organizations should actively work with organizations advocating for green jobs in their geographical area, including seeking speaking opportunities at Green Jobs conferences and researching the nature and extent that recycling contributes to Green Jobs in their area.

♦ Program Evaluation – RONA should establish a process for annual evaluation, review and modification of instructors, classes and the overall program, to refine and improve its development and expansion.

♦ Demand for Certificate – RONA will seek the support of businesses, government agencies and organizations to require or prefer a RONA certificate in their job announcements, job descriptions and/or hiring policies and regulations. Industry Advisory Boards for existing state or provincial programs will be the first contacted to solicit such support. RONA should work with state and provincial ROs, environmental groups and other stakeholders to ask that

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government agencies, businesses and organizations adopt the SRM certificate as a preference for hiring initially, and then phase those in as a requirement once there are enough graduates to fulfill the demand.

♦ Multi-state programs – RONA will design standards to allow for multi- state programs to participate, as long as state specific information is also included as part of the training.

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Recommendations

The participants in the RONA meetings concurred with what state recycling associations agreed previously that to get certified nationally, certification training programs should at a minimum:

1) Consist of a minimum of 30 hours of course work;
2) Be certified by an accredited postsecondary institution;
3) Include a comprehensive introductory class on Sustainable Resource

Management; and
4) Include a comprehensive written exam to demonstrate proficiency in what was

taught.
Stakeholders recognized there could ultimately be multiple levels of certification

to reflect different levels of instruction, such as:

• Operator Certificates for hands-on operators of major facilities (such asprograms in Maryland, New Mexico and Pennsylvania) and/or Waste Auditors (e.g., Recycling Council of Ontario is currently developing a program focused on this subject for janitorial staff, waste haulers and public and private environmental health & safety staff) that do not need to be certified by an accredited postsecondary institution.
• Industry certification programs that meet RONA National Standards of Student Learning Outcomes (e.g., 30 hours course work) and are certified by an accredited postsecondary institution.
• Senior or Upper Level Certificate that provide more extensive instruction time of at least 150 hours of instruction (e.g., New Jersey’s 160 hours of instruction and Pennsylvania’s Senior Certified Professional)

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• For credit course work at Community Colleges (e.g, Recycling and Resource Management program in California starting in the fall of 2011)
• For credit course work and matriculation as part of a higher education degree program (e.g., AA, BA or BS, or advanced degrees)The initial RONA national certification would be for an industry certification program in “Sustainable Resource Management” to help students Reduce, Recycle, Recycle to Zero Waste. This is being developed to enhance the credibility and value of state-based Certification training programs. RONA will also work with national and international organizations to develop transferability of the value of training programs offered by states with those offered nationally and vice-versa.Key to the establishment of a Sustainable Resource Management Certification program would be addressing, at a minimum, the key Student Learning Outcomes detailed in Appendix D.

  Certification of training programs could be done to encourage a diversity of approaches for offering training to meet different needs of students and professionals in the field, while still assuring consistency in basic student learning outcomes and quality of instruction. Training could be provided through on-line classes, evening classes, week-long intensive training and daytime classes for full-time students. State and provincial recycling associations, colleges and universities, specialized training institutes, and/or experts in the field could organize such training. Certification of professionals would include an examination offered by a national Certification Board established to oversee this program. State or provincial programs may also work with RONA to incorporate a national test into the state test where desired.

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Initially, RONA could establish a Certification Board under its RONA University to oversee the governance of this effort. The RONA University Certification Board could include representatives from the following:

• ♦  State or Provincial Recycling Associations offering training programs that wish to be certified by RONA
• ♦  Different aspects of the industry, including local, state or national organizations that focus on reuse, recycling, composting, and extended producer responsibility, and experts in all 12 Market Categories12 of Resource Management.
• ♦  Local, state and federal governments that wish to hire individuals that have met the requirements of a national standard
• ♦  Measurement and testing expertsThe RONA Certification Board could establish its own “Content Committee” that would be subject matter experts to help develop the content for the program and proficiency exam. These two components (a governance committee and a “scheme” committee of subject matter experts) are required to comply with ISO guidelines for establishing certification training programs.

12 Categories developed by Dr. Daniel Knapp, Urban Ore: Reusables, Paper, Glass, Metals, Yard Trimmings, Putrescibles, Wood, Polymers (e.g., plastics and rubber), Textiles, Ceramics (e.g., concrete and asphalt), Soils, and Chemicals (including household hazardous materials and e-waste).

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Next Steps

RONA U. could start this program with the following key steps:

• ♦  RONA Board approves this Certification Program Plan as detailed herein anddesignate RONA U. to implement it.
• ♦  RONA U. establishes Certification Board for RONA U.
• ♦  RONA U. solicit additional input for the Jobs/Skills Analysis and StudentLearning Outcomes.
• ♦  RONA U. send survey to all state and provincial ROs to update 2009 surveyand confirm latest status of implementation and success of RO programs .
• ♦  Certification Board recommends Student Learning Outcomes to be nationalstandards for Sustainable Resource Management training programs andprofessionals.
• ♦  Certification Board adopts Criteria for approving Certification Programscertified to instruct students who want RONA U. certificate and adopt proficiency exam. Recommend that testing be kept separate from those offering training courses.
• ♦  RONA Board adopt agreement with one or more certifying institutions that establishes terms and an acceptable fee to be offered to all ROs.
• ♦  RONA Board establishes service fees and other funding plans to cover staffing and other costs required to implement program. RONA coordinate seeking of grants to help start up programs, and to share local fund-raising ideas that different ROs pursue. Explore corporate sponsors, including

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possibility of reduced insurance rates for organizations that hire trained staff

that have been certified.

• ♦  RONA U. launches beta test with 1 state program
• ♦  RONA Board approves changes to program
• ♦  RONA and RONA U. promotes (at a minimum through state and provincialROs, RONA U. network and AASHE (Association for the Advancement ofSustainability in Higher Education)
• ♦  RONA works with potential employers to provide preference for candidateswith national certificate and job requirement for specialized jobs.
• ♦  RONA U establishes an online listing of credentialed SRM programs andprofessionals to enhance their credibility.
• ♦  RONA Board and RONA U. meet with ROC on regular basis to continuedialog and continue to obtain input on the design and implementation of this program.

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APPENDICES

Appendix A – Results of ROC Survey of State Recycling Organizations (RO) Training Programs

Appendix B – Requirements & Barriers from ROC Survey of State Recycling Organizations Training Programs

Appendix C – Attendees of RONA Meetings on National Standards Appendix D – Student Learning Outcomes
Appendix E – List of CA CBJT Industry Advisory Board Members 2011

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• ♦  Neil Drobny, Association of Ohio Recyclers
• ♦  Ken Eskenazi, Innovation2Industry
• ♦  MaryEllen Etienne, Reuse Alliance
• ♦  Karen Fiedler, Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin
• ♦  David Gatewood, Irvine V alley College

• ♦  Bob Gedert, City of Austin & National National Recycling Coalition Board
• ♦  Richard Gertman, Cascadia Consulting & National Recycling Coalition Board
• ♦  Judi Gregory, California Resource Recovery Association
• ♦  Carey Hamilton, Indiana Recycling Coalition
• ♦  David Hanson, Recycling Council of Ontario
• ♦  Bob Hollis, The Mobius Network & National Recycling Coalition Board
• ♦  Timonie Hood, USEPA Region 9
• ♦  Beth Holst, Green Building Certification Institute
• ♦  Celeste Johnson, Connecticut Recyclers Coalition
• ♦  Florence Jones, Lavergne Group
• ♦  Nurit Katz, UCLA Sustainability
• ♦  Russell Klein, Washington, DC Public Works
• ♦  Marie Kruzan, Association of New Jersey Recyclers
• ♦  Teresa Kurtz, Iowa Recyclers Association
• ♦  Mark Lichtenstein, President, National Recycling Coalition
• ♦  Laina Long, Santa Monica College
• ♦  Leslie Lukacs, L2 Environmental
• ♦  Cyril May, Connecticut Recyclers Coalition & Yale University
• ♦  Jenna McCarty, Irvine Valley College
• ♦  Hana McClean, University of Colorado
• ♦  Christine McCoy, National Recycling Coalition Board
• ♦  Michelle Minstrell, GBB & National Recycling Coalition Board
• ♦  Mike Mitchell, Illinois Recycling Association & Recycling Organizations Council
• ♦  Kerrin O’Brien, Michigan Recycling Coalition
• ♦  Bruce Olszewski, San Jose State University
• ♦  Deborah Orrill, Golden West Community College

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• ♦  Omid Pourzanjani, Golden West Community College
• ♦  Patricia Ramos, Santa Monica College
• ♦  Laura Rea, AndrewRea Designs
• ♦  Ted Reiff, The Reuse People

• ♦  Amy Roth, Association of Oregon Recyclers
• ♦  Lynn Rubinstein, Northeast Recycling Council
• ♦  Will Sagar, Henderson County Solid Waste Manager & SERDC
• ♦  Lorenz Schilling, Reuse Network
• ♦  Ann Schneider, CA Sierra Club Zero Waste Committee
• ♦  Lori Scozzafava, Solid Waste Association of North America
• ♦  Joanne Shafer, Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania
• ♦  Michael Siminitus, Wastebusters Consulting
• ♦  Ashleigh Smith, Alice Ferguson Foundation
• ♦  Jo-Anne St.Godard, Recycling Council of Ontario
• ♦  Eugene Tseng, UCLA
• ♦  David Wagger, Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries
• ♦  Paula Wise, Reuse Network
• ♦  Mike Y urish, The Reuse People

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1. Upon
a. Explain the resource management system and language used and the

completion of an Introductory Course, the student will be able to:

tools employed to eliminate waste, reuse products and packaging and

use resources efficiently.

2. b. Understand the fundamental principles and practices related towaste reduction and reuse; recycling collection, processing and marketing of commodities; composting of organics; and handling and recovery of construction, demolition (C & D) and other special materials.
3. Incorporate sound management practices; the applicable resource management laws, regulations and policies; economically sound business practices; and health and safety regulations and best practices into their everyday resource management work.
4. Identify local markets for highest and best use of recovered products and materials evaluating greenhouse gas emissions, jobs potential and life cycles.
5. Design a communication plan aimed at increasing public awareness of and participation in Sustainable Resource Management.

2. Upon
the student will be able to:

completion of a Culture & Sustainable Resource Management Course,

a. Develop an effective outreach campaign strategy utilizing Social Media and Community Based Marketing tools

Recycling Organizations of North America 12/30/2011 23

2. Identify key components of an effective Request for Proposal (RFP) or similar procurement process for public outreach and community-based social marketing services.
3. Identify key components of successful curriculum and educational tools.
4. Develop and present effective presentations, publications and exhibits that will help enhance individual sustainable actions and habits.

3. Upon completion of a Sustainable Resource Management Communities Course, the student will be able to:a. Explain how and why communities are adopting Zero Waste13 and Resource Management goals and plans and develop community plans to eliminate waste and use resources efficiently.b. Compare policies, programs and facilities needed for communities to improve waste management with a goal of Zero Waste.

   c. Analyze markets and service opportunities for reusables, recoverables, recyclables and compostables for a variety of resources.

   d. Identify Local Producer Responsibility policies and programs and advocate for Extended Producer Responsibility and Green Chemistry policies and programs.

4. Upon completion of a Resource Management in Business Course, the student will be able to:

13 As defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance at: http://zwia.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=6

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1. Compare resource management services provided by different companies utilizing various types of strategies, technologies or equipment. This would include business fundamentals such as full cost accounting, life-cycle analysis and triple bottom line (economics, environment and social equity).
2. Develop and conduct evaluations or surveys of materials and business practices to consider how companies could change practices to reduce waste generation.
3. Identify tools and metrics for businesses to design, implement and oversee waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting sustainable resource management programs.

In addition, upon completion of the overall Sustainable Resource Management program, the student will understand how to apply the above to:

• ♦  Collection (including Reuse, Recycling, Organics & C&D)
• ♦  Processing (including Reuse, Recycling, Organics & C&D)
• ♦  Marketing (including Reuse, Recycling, Organics & C&D)
• ♦  Outreach & Education, Management and EnforcementSeveral state and provincial programs have also developed areas of specialization for their training programs, including: Processing operator, Compost Facility Operator, and Waste Auditors (under development by Recycling Council of Ontario). Some State programs have also developed training programs specializations in the overall categories of Collection, Processing, Marketing, Outreach & Education, and Management and Enforcement.

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Appendix E – List of CA CBJT Industry Advisory Board Members 2011

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