Landfill Operator Certification

Hazardous Special Waste
Endorsement Study Guide

Introduction

The purpose of this study guide is to explain the testing process and to help you prepare for the Hazardous Special Waste Endorsement (Hazardous SWE) Landfill Operator Certification examination. This endorsement is for landfills that accept hazardous special waste.  This exam is taken in addition to the Class A/Special Waste Endorsement examinations.  As of April 2005, those seeking certification to operate hazardous waste landfills must also pass the Hazardous SWE exam.

Experts in hazardous waste landfilling, permitting, and operating regulations developed the exam questions. All questions and answer selections have been examined for content, readability, accuracy and relationship to the tasks identified as needed to operate a hazardous waste landfill.

You must answer at least 70% of the questions correctly in order to pass the exam.

Study Materials

You will find it necessary to study the following documents:

Class A/Special Waste Endorsement Study Guide

415 ILCS 5 - Illinois Environmental Protection Act, Section 42, Title XII: Penalties

Title 35 IAC, Subtitle G:  Waste Disposal - Subchapter b: Permits

Part 702 - RCRA and UIC Permit Programs
Part 703 - RCRA Permit Program
Part 705 - Procedures for Permit Issuance

Title 35 IAC, Subtitle G:  Waste Disposal - Subchapter c: Hazardous Waste Operating Requirements

Part 724 - Standards for Owners and Operators of Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities:  Subparts A, B, C, D, E, F,G, H and N only
Part 728 - Land Disposal Restrictions

If you cannot locate or download a copy of any of the documents, please contact  Karen Nelson by email or at 217/558-4355.

Exam Topics

The Hazardous SWE contains 32 multiple-choice questions which pertain solely to hazardous waste landfill regulations.  Each exam question was derived from the documents listed on the previous page.  Please note:  The Hazardous SWE will be taken in addition to the 31-question Special Waste Endorsement Exam.

The Hazardous SWE exam questions are related to 19 categories listed below, which address the permitting, operation, closure, and post-closure of hazardous waste landfills.  The order in which they appear does not relate to their importance.  The 19 categories are as follows:

Section	Specific Items Within the Section
1.  Definitions	Listed Below
2.  Duty to Comply	Permit non-compliance, revocation, denial, modification, enforcement
3.  Proper Operation and Maintenance	O & M permit conditions
4.  Inspection and Entry	Agency access and inspection rights/requirements
5.  Signature Requirements	General Knowledge
6.  Duration of Permits	Effective term of RCRA Permit
7.  Twenty-Four Hour Reporting	Circumstances requiring
8.  Permit Modifications at the Request of the Permittee	Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 Modifications.
9.  Classification of Permit Modifications	General Knowledge
10. Public Notice	Timing and Contents of Public Notices
11. Construction Quality Assurance Program	Applicability, general knowledge
12. Use of Manifest System	Applicability, general knowledge
13. Certification of Closure	Timeframes
14. Post-Closure Care and Use of Property	Post closure care period
15. Cost Estimate for Closure	Final closure cost estimate; adjustment of final closure estimate; timeliness; recordkeeping requirements
16. Design and Operating Requirements	Runoff management system; action leakage rate; monitoring and inspection; closure and post-closure care; final cover design and construction
17. Land Disposal Requirements	Purpose, Scope, Applicability; Universal Treatment Standards.
18. Illinois Environmental Protection Act	Civil Penalties
19. General Knowledge	Slope failure, settlement, consolidation, cracks in final cover, filling of cells.

The following terms are defined in Title 24 IAC, Parts 702, Section 110, and Part 728, Section 102.  It is important that you are familiar with these terms so you can better understand the questions on the exam.

Section 702.110 Definitions
1. Act	24. Manifests
2. Administrator	25. New HWM facility
3. Agency	26. Off-site
4. Application	27. On-site
5. Appropriate act and regulations	28. Owner or Operator
6. Approved program or approved state	29. Permit
7. Aquifer	30. Person
8. Board	31. Physical construction
9. Closure	32. POTW or Publicly owned treatment works
10. Director	33. RCRA
11. Disposal	34. Regional administrator
12. Disposal Facility	35. Remedial Action Plan or RAP
13. Draft Permit	36. Sanitary Waste
14. Emergency Permit	37. Schedule of compliance
15. Environmental Protection Agency	38. Site
16. Existing hazardous Waste Management (HWM) facility	39. SIC Code
17. Facility mailing list	40. State
18. Facility or activity	41. State director
19. Generator	42. State/USEPA agreement
20. Groundwater	43. Storage
21. Hazardous Waste	44. Transporter
22. Hazardous Waste management facility	45. USDW or Underground source of drinking water
23. In Operation
Section 728.102 Definitions
46. CERCLA
47. Debris
48. Halogenated organic compounds or HOCs
49. Hazardous constituent or constituents
50. Hazardous debris
51. Inorganic metal-bearing waste
52. Land Disposal
53. Nonwastewaters
54. Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCs
55. ppm
56. RCRA corrective action
57. Soil
58. Underlying hazardous constituent
59. USEPA or U.S. EPA
60. Wastewaters