Operator Certification

Solid Waste Operator Certification

New landfill operators are required to take a 25 hour class prior to examination, and incinerator operators must take a 12 hour class prior to examination. For more information please review the operator certification rules.

An application is required for individuals interested in taking an exam to obtain either a Sanitary Landfill Operator Certificate or Solid Waste Incinerator Operator Certificate.

Solid Waste Operator Certification - Examination Application (542-1354)
2023 Solid Waste Incinerator and Sanitary Landfill Op Cert Exam Schedule **Exams are now offered in person or online!

Continuing Education

To request Landfill Continuing Education course approval, please submit the form below to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for approval of Contact Hours/Continuing Education Units for licensed landfill operators.

Request for Certified Iowa Municipal Sanitary Landfill Operator CEU

Request for Certified Incinerator Operator CEU

For a list of pre-approved course dates and locations, please contact any of the following:

Kirkwood Community College
SCS Engineers
SWANA
Turkle Clark Environmental Consulting

Other courses may also be eligible with prior approval from the Department.

Current list of CEU's earned to date.

DNR Contact
Becky Jolly
515-249-1482
Becky.Jolly@dnr.iowa.gov

Appliance Demanufacturer Operator Certification

At least one owner or employee of an appliance demanufacturing facility must have a training certificate from a department-approved training course. A person who has completed the department-approved training course must be on site at all times when discarded appliances are being demanufactured. Appliance Demanufacturing Certificate Training information can be found at Evora Consulting. Here are the dates of upcoming trainings:

March 14, 2023, Sleep Inn and Suites, West Des Moines

June 13, 2023, Sleep Inn and Suites, West Des Moines

September 12, 2023, Sleep Inn and Suites, West Des Moines

December 12, 2023, Sleep Inn and Suites, West Des Moines

Compost Operator Certification

To be certified, compost operators need to take a Compost Operators Training Course and then complete and return the Compost Facility Operator Application to the Department of Natural Resources. You must also include proof that you took the required course.

Compost Facility Operator Application (542-0026)

Pre-Approved Compost Operators Training Courses are offered by:

Kirkwood Community College
Iowa State University
Iowa Recycling Association
Iowa Waste Reduction Center | University of Northern Iowa
Composting Council
SWANA
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Other courses may also be eligible with prior approval from the Department.

Transfer Station Operator Certification

Transfer station operators must be certified by a training program approved by the department such as, but not limited to, the Solid Waste Association of North America’s Managing Transfer Station Systems Training and Certification Course, if the facility is permitted for 20,000 tons or more per year of solid waste.

Pre-Approved Transfer Station Operator Training Courses are also offered by EVORA Consulting.

Other courses may also be eligible with prior approval from the Department.