Solid Waste Association of North America

For over 40 years, The Solid Waste Association of North America, (SWANA) has been the leading professional association in the solid waste management field. SWANA's mission is "to advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound management of municipal solid waste." SWANA serves over 7,700 members and thousands more industry professionals with technical conferences, certifications, publications and a large offering of technical training courses. Solid waste consists of everyday items that could be thrown away or recycled such as bottles, cans, newspapers, computers, furniture, food, and appliances.

Organization

SWANA is organized into seven technical divisions. These technical divisions provide members with the most convenient methods to keep track of hot topics, connect with experts, and shape the future of solid waste management. Access to each division's electronic forum and email-based community encourages networking across the United States and Canada, allowing members not only to access resources and get answers to questions.
*Technical Divisions
**Collection & Transfer- As the largest single budget item in solid waste management, collection and transfer deals primarily with efficiency and reliability. Key issues in the field include route design, innovative technologies, health & safety, and contracting & franchising.
**Communication, Education & Marketing- The communication, education, and marketing division seeks to enhance the way solid waste organizations interact with their surrounding communities.
**Landfill Gas- Recognized as the premier authority on issues surrounding landfill gas recovery, control, management, utilization, system design, operation, and maintenance, this technical division promotes the use of landfill gas as a sustainable and renewable energy source.
**Landfill Management- This division's wide-reaching technical focus helps provide practical solutions to the multitude of issues and challenges concerning the planning, design, construction, closure, and post-closure care of today's landfills.
**Planning & Management- This division focuses on developing innovative solutions to the most pressing questions and challenges faced by today's solid waste decision-makers.
**Special waste management- Special waste includes household hazardous waste, electronics waste, scrap tires, treated wood, propane tanks, and paint. This division seeks to educate members, as well as the public, on the ever-changing array of issues concerning special waste management and handling.
**Waste Reduction, Recycling & Composting- This division's mission is to balance environmental sustainability and the economic feasibility of minimizing municipal solid waste disposal.
*Chapters: SWANA offers forty-five local chapters in which attendees can participate in forums, training sessions, local legislation, and networking.

Education

SWANA is committed to advancing the field, members' careers, community, and lives. Thousands are trained in today's trends and tomorrow's emerging technologies.
*Training: SWANA offers classroom training, E-Courses, On-Site training, online courses, and home study courses.
*Certification: SWANA certification is recognized by numerous states as the standard for solid waste employees. Members can be certified in the following areas:
**Waste Collection
**Composting
**Construction and Demolition Waste
**Landfill
**Municipal Solid Waste Management systems
**Transfer
**Recycling
*Symposia: SWANA offers specialty courses that are designed to educate, train, and provide networking opportunities for all attendees. Annually, SWANA offers five symposia in the areas of recycling, landfill gas, waste-to-energy, landfill, and solid waste management.

Innovation and Communication

SWANA's research and development efforts provide training, and educational programs offered by SWANA. At the forefront of this effort is SWANA's Applied Research Foundation, a subscriber-based group that has redefined the concept of collective research.
*Advocacy: SWANA is an advocacy association that identifies sound solid waste management policies while implementing strategies to advance these positions.
*Journal & Newsletters: SWANA members receive updates of today’s trends and tomorrow’s emerging technologies in the monthly journal MSW Management, in addition to a monthly newsletter: MSW Solutions.

WASTECON

SWANA hosts WASTECON which is the main conference in the solid waste field in North America. This is the only conference run by and for solid waste professionals in Northern America.

Awards

Each year SWANA recognizes a select few who have excelled in terms of commitment, achievements, and contributions.
*Excellence Awards- This program recognizes outstanding solid waste programs and facilities that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management through their commitment to utilizing effective technologies and processes in system design and operations, advancing worker and community health and safety, and implementing successful public education and outreach programs.
*Professional Achievement Awards- These awards recognize valuable, and distinguished, contributions to the Association, the individual's employing organization, and the general public.
*Scholarships- In order to prepare the next generation for the environmentally and economically sound practice of solid waste, SWANA has developed several scholarship and internship programs over the years for students studying in fields related to solid waste management.

ee also

*Chartered Institute of Wastes Management CIWM
*International Solid Waste Association ISWA
*Waste
*Waste management

External links

* [http://www.mswmanagement.com MSW Management - Official Journal of SWANA] (North America)
* [http://www.ciwm.co.uk CIWM] (UK)
* [http://www.iswa.org ISWA] (Global body)
* [http://www.swana.org SWANA] (North America)