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Landfill Operator Certification

Class A / Nonhazardous 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 Class A with a Nonhazardous / Special Waste Endorsement Landfill Operator Certification examination.

Experts in the field of landfilling developed the exam questions. Each exam has been validated and checked for reliability by the University of Illinois at Springfield (formerly Sangamon State University), Center for Legal Studies. All questions and answer selections have been examined for content, readability, accuracy and relationship to the tasks identified as needed to operate a landfill.

Study Materials:

You will find it necessary to study the following documents:

225 ILCS 230 - Solid Waste Site Operator Certification Law (formerly Illinois Revised Statutes, 1991, Supp., Ch. 111, Par. 7858)
415 ILCS 5 -Illinois Environmental Protection Act - Sections 21(o) and 42(b)(4)

Regulations:

Title 68 IAC, Part 870 - Rules for the Landfill Operator Certification Program
Title 35 IAC, Subtitle G: Waste Disposal - Subchapter i Solid and Special Waste Hauling:

Part 807 - Definitions Only
Part 810 - General Provisions & Definitions
Part 811 - Standards for New Solid Waste Landfills (The major portion of the exam comes from this area), see " Exam Topics" below for more guidance on what to study)
Part 812.105- Approval by a Local Government

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

Each Class A exam has 135 multiple-choice questions. The Special Waste Endorsement exam is made up of thirty-one questions, which pertain solely to the proper management of special wastes at sanitary landfills. Each exam contains some questions from all of the above sources.

Exam Topics:

All exam questions are related to one of 43 categories, which address the design, and operation of sanitary landfills. The order that they appear does not relate to their importance. The 43 categories are as follows:

Class A Exam Topics
Section of Part 811, Title 35 IAC, Subtitle G: Waste Disposal		Specific Items Within the Section
	Definitions	Study the definitions in Part 811 of 35 IAC and also the Part 807 & 810 definitions (scroll down for a list)
	General Knowledge	Daily landfill operations
GENERAL STANDARDS FOR ALL LANDFILLS		Flow restrictions, historic sites, endangered species
	Location Standards	Flow restrictions, historic sites, endangered species
	Surface Water Drainage	25 year, 24 hour rainfall event, flow velocities, commingled runoff, runoff from disturbed areas, diversion of runoff from undisturbed areas
	Survey Controls	Frequencies and control monuments
	Compaction	General knowledge
	Daily Cover	General knowledge, alternative daily cover
	Operating Standards	Mass stability, working face, equipment, phasing of operation, utilities, vectors, mud, etc.
	Salvaging	Management Principles
	Boundary Controls	Sign Information
PUTRESCIBLE and CHEMICAL WASTE LANDFILLS - SUBPART C
	Closure and Written Closure Plan	General Conditions of Closure & Closure Plan
	Facility Location	Distance considerations
	Foundation Construction	Materials, Placement
	Liner System	Dimensions, earth & geomembrane, general considerations, slurry trenches & cutoff walls
	Leachate Drainage System	Design features, thickness
	Leachate Collection System	General features & operations
	Leachate Treatment and Disposal	Standards for treatment, storage, discharge, recycling and monitoring
	Landfill Gas Monitoring	Frequencies, distances, numbers and parameters
	Landfill Gas Management System	Requirements for installation, system standards, and collection
	Landfill Gas Processing and Disposal	Discharge conditions
	Intermediate Cover	Purpose and general standards
	Final Cover System	Purpose, permeability considerations, and standards
	Plugging and Sealing of Drill Holes	General knowledge and standards
	Groundwater Impact Assessment	Purposes and transport model approval
	Design, Construction and Operation of Groundwater Monitoring Systems	Purpose, records, design and sample collection standards
	Groundwater Monitoring Programs	Monitoring and sampling schedules
	Waste Placement	Location considerations, phasing and initial placement
	Final Slope and Stabilization	Slope purposes, vegetation, and structure restrictions
	Load Checking Program	Purpose, frequency, records, responsibilities, and appropriate responses
	CQA Inspections Activities	CQA responsibilities
	Financial Assurance	Scope, closure cost estimates, revisions, Trust Fund evaluations and notifications, mechanisms and timeliness
	Upgrading Financial Assurance	Reasons
	Closure Care Cost Estimates	Revisions and estimates
	Revision of Cost Estimate	Reasons
	Trust Fund	Frequency of change and notifications
	Approval by Unit of Local Government	General Knowledge
	225 ILCS 230 - Solid Waste Site Operator Certification Law	Operator Classes
	415 ILCS 5 - Illinois Environmental Protection Act	Section 21(o) and 42(b)(4)
	Title 68 IAC, Part 870 - Rules for the Landfill Operator Certification Program
	General Math	Slope ratio, topography, elevations, cubic feet and cubic yards
SPECIAL WASTE TOPICS
Section of Part 811 Title 35 IAC, Subtitle G: Waste Disposal		Specific Items Within the Section
	Notice to Generators and Transporters	Sign information
	Special Waste Manifests	All manifest information, distribution requirements
	Identification Record	Profile sheet requirements, re-certification purpose and pertinent information
	Record-keeping Requirements	General requirements
	Procedures for Excluding Regulated Hazardous Wastes	General knowledge
	Boundary Controls	Sign Information
	Load Checking Program	Purpose, components of, frequency, records, responsibilities, and appropriate responses

Class A/Special Waste Endorsement Exam - Definitions

The following terms are defined in Part 807 - Section 104 and Part 810 - Section 103 "Definitions." It is important that you become familiar with these terms so you can better understand the questions on the exam.

1.	Admixtures	34.	100 Year Flood Plain
2.	Agency	35.	Operator
3.	Aquifer	36.	Owner
4.	Bedrock	37.	Perched Water Table
5.	Borrow Area	38.	Permeability
6.	Cell	39.	Permit Area
7.	Chemical Waste	40.	Putrescible Waste
8.	Class A Certified Operator	41.	POTW
9.	Class B Certified Operator	42.	Recharge Zone
10.	Compaction	43.	Refuse
11.	Contaminated Leachate	44.	Responsible Charge
12.	Cover Material	45.	Runoff
13.	Design Period	46.	Salvaging
14.	Disposal	47.	Scavenging
15.	Disturbed Areas	48.	Settlement
16.	Earth Liners	49.	Shredding
17.	Facility	50.	Significant Modification
18.	Field Capacity	51.	Site
19.	Gas Collection System	52.	Special Waste
20.	Gas Condensate	53.	Special Waste Endorsement
21.	Geomembranes	54.	Surface Impoundment
22.	Geotextiles	55.	Surface Water
23.	Groundwater	56.	25 Yr. 24 Hr. Precipitation Event
24.	Hydraulic Barriers	57.	Uppermost Aquifer
25.	Inert Waste	58.	Unit
26.	Solid Waste	59.	Unit of Local Government
27.	Land Application Unit	60.	Vector
28.	Landfill	61.	Waste
29.	Leachate	63.	Waste Pile
30.	Lift	62.	Waste Stabilization
31.	Malodor	64.	Water Table
32.	NPDES	65.	Working Face
33.	New Facility or New Unit

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