In 1992, just as I was assuming the editorship of MSW Management, I made the weekly drive from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles to attend a course on municipal solid waste management given by Dr. Eugene Tseng, UCLA law professor, and Gary Petersen, recent member of the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB). Seventeen years later I find myself still involved with the course, which, while undergoing rather significant changes, strives to meet the needs of entry level personnel, supervisors, and administrators, clear up to managers.
This past week I sat in on a presentation by students of the Environmental Law and Regulatory Framework for Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management course who had been tasked to perform a detailed analysis of California’s AB 222 (granting full credit to materials diverted from the wastestream by conversion technologies). The final presentation project was a simulated “Assembly Natural Resources Subcommittee Hearing” requiring students to “testify” on their position(s) on various issues related to the bill (e.g., Does it count as diversion rate? Does it count as renewable energy? Compatibility with recycling? etc.) The audience was composed of the bill’s proposers, legislative experts, supporters, and opponents, all of whom were familiar with the bill’s status, and the political minefield through which is currently traveling.
As detailed as were the efforts of the students in preparing for the presentation, the discussions that followed raised their understanding of the depth and complexity of knowledge necessary for engaging in the political process to a height far beyond that possible in a purely academic setting.
For the past two years, Dr. Tseng has been working with live classes in order to evaluate the curricula in preparation for taking the course online this fall. The inaugural Internet class commences the week after next, on September 21, 2009. Even though the course contains some California-specific features, its value is by no means parochial…a fact attested to interest shown throughout the US as well as a number of foreign nations. What follow are the course descriptions and enrollment information:
Certificate in Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management
Waste Reduction and Recycling: Program Design, Operations, and Marketing
California has been a leader in the development of strategies for recycling and the management of waste. This six-course certificate program is designed for a wide variety of individuals seeking to know the state-of-the-art in recycling and waste management, including industrial managers and engineers, government staff, disposal firm employees, community representatives, public sector employees, and public policy analysts. The program addresses environmental, technological, political, legal, and economic aspects of recycling and waste management policies. Basic themes of the six courses are fundamental principles; recycling; technology; law and regulations; case studies; and an independent research project as the capstone.
REQUIRED COURSES (24 UNITS)
The following four-unit courses should be taken in the following order:
X 438 Principles of Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management
X 438.2 Waste Reduction and Recycling: Program Design, Operations, and Marketing
X 438.1 Municipal Solid Waste Management Technology
X 438.3 Environmental Law and Regulatory Framework for Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management
X 438.4 Case Studies and Best Management Practices
X 438.5 Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management: Research Project
Principles of Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management
ENGINEERING X 438 • 4 UNITS
Designed for those new to the recycling and solid waste management industry, this introductory course covers the nature and composition of municipal solid waste as well as the current “integrated waste management approach” and the practices of waste reduction, recycling, and transformation/disposal of solid waste.
A broad overview is given of the legal and regulatory framework that governs the industry and the various technologies utilized in the management of solid waste.
Students are provided with a basic understanding of the individual systems components of the overall solid waste management system, including collection, recycling facility operations, transportation, materials processing, landfilling, and other recycling/waste management practices and how they interrelate.
Statistical techniques used to project future waste-generation quantities and composition are covered, as well as how to use solid waste and recycling information databases found on the Internet.
Case studies of how jurisdictions, solid waste management companies, and private companies develop and implement their recycling and solid waste management programs also are discussed.
This certificate program has been developed in cooperation with the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
ENGINEERING X 438.2 • 4 UNITS This course provides extensive coverage of designing, implementing, and evaluating source reduction (waste prevention) and recycling programs, including residential and commercial recycling programs, bottle bill programs, and mixed waste processing (MRF) recycling programs.
The design and implementation of educational and outreach programs that are an integral part of any waste reduction and recycling program are covered, as well as the protocols to evaluate and quantify the progress of waste reduction and recycling programs. Various types of recycling collection methodologies, collection containers, labeling/signage, bin placement, and other topics related to hands-on implementation are discussed.
The course also covers the development of metrics used to track and evaluate the progress of programs; recycled material specifications used in the marketing of recyclables; and life cycle analysis on recycling programs, including the impact of recycling on greenhouse gas emissions.
Each student is expected to conduct a comprehensive waste-reduction and recycling assessment for a specific business and give programmatic recommendations for waste-reduction and recycling programs. The goal of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the recycling market infrastructure and materials specifications for recycled materials.
Municipal Solid Waste Management Technology
ENGINEERING X 438.1 • 4 UNITS
This course takes an in-depth look at the current and emerging technologies utilized in the recycling and solid waste management industry. Topics include the design and operation of materials recovery facilities (MRFs), recycling centers, landfills, construction and demolition waste processing facilities, waste-to-energy facilities, and pollution control technology.
Environmental controls utilized at various types of solid waste and recycling facilities are presented, as well as conversion technologies and how various European countries have used them to minimize landfill disposal. The design and operation of HHW Collection Center facilities also are discussed.
A general approach to evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of proposed projects involving an integrated waste management approach is covered.
Students learn to develop materials unit process flow processing diagramming and mass-balance flow diagrams, as well the basics of solid waste facility design and blueprint reading.
The goal of the course is to enable students to understand how various technologies operate and what their limitations are; how technologies integrate into and impact the overall infrastructure; the technical characteristics of each material in the solid waste stream and how the material is processed and/or transformed by technology; and how to develop an integrated systems approach or solution to a complex wastestream.
Field trips to local facilities are planned.
Course materials also cover health and safety aspects of facility operations.
Environmental Law and Regulatory Framework for Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management
ENGINEERING X 438.3 • 4 UNITS • 36 HOURS MCLE CREDIT AVAILABLE
This course presents an overview of how environmental statutes related to solid waste management and recycling are developed and implemented.
Legislative analysis of proposed laws is covered, as well as the statutory framework of the solid waste and recycling field, and current regulations in the recycling and solid waste field.
Topics include various types of policies, laws, and ordinances; specific legal cases related to hazardous waste, owner/operator liability of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities; permitting, CEQA requirements, and other land use regulations/ policies; and the impact of environmental law and cases as it relates to everyday business and real estate transactions.
Various regulations, interpretations and policies, and the practical impact of regulations are examined.
Sample contracts and legal issues that arise from implementation of AB 939 are reviewed and analyzed in detail. Contract compliance review procedures and legal remedies to breach of contract conditions are discussed. The course also covers the regulatory enforcement programs of local enforcement agencies/CIWMB related to compliance of permitted solid waste facilities.
Students are required to be able to analyze environmental legislation and regulations and determine their impact on industry, jurisdictions, businesses, and the public, as well as the different provisions/clauses in a typical franchise agreement.
Case Studies and Best Management Practices
ENGINEERING X 438.4 • 4 UNITS
This course provides an overview of best management practices of the recycling and solid waste management industry, and presents and analyzes the design, implementation, and monitoring/evaluation techniques of benchmark waste reduction and recycling programs utilized by industry, government, and others.
Topics also include the siting of waste processing facilities; emerging issues, such as environmental justice, communications, and public relations for the environmental professional; stakeholder planning processes; radioactive waste management; hazardous waste management; and greenhouse gas emissions.
Guest speakers associated with exemplary programs/projects present various case studies that students analyze to learn best management practices.
Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management: Research Project
ENGINEERING X 438.5 • 4 UNITS
This capstone course to the Certificate in Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management provides an opportunity for students to complete a long-term individual research project to integrate the knowledge gained from the previous program courses.
Each student selects a project from a list of pre-approved research topics that represent issues in recycling and municipal solid waste management faced by government and private industry.
Project requirements include thoroughly researching the topic, interviewing recognized experts in the subject, analyzing applicable statutes and regulations, completing an in-depth research paper, and preparing an oral PowerPoint presentation to be given in class. Guest speakers/advisors for each of the topics serve as mentors to the students.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of the five previous required courses for the Certificate in Recycling and Municipal Solid Waste Management.
Program Requirements
A grade of “C” or better in the six required courses. An Application for Candidacy must be submitted upon completing the third course in the program. The program must be completed in five years.
Enrollment Information
September 21–December 7
Engineering X 438
Credit: 4 units
Fee: $675 Reg# V3545
Enrollment is limit. It is recommended that students enroll at least two business days prior to the start of the course in order to have ample time to complete the software orientation. Students must be enrolled to participate; visitors are not permitted.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Students need a PC computer with the latest version of Internet Explorer or Firefox, or a Macintosh computer with the latest version of Firefox or Safari (Mac 10.3 or higher).
Our online courses use an application called Blackboard for course discussions, assignments, and alerts. If you’re new to online learning, we strongly suggest you view the Blackboard orientation at http://uclaextension.blackboard.com/ (click the “Login” button, and then “Preview”).
Enrollment
Online
Visit www.uclaextension.edu for full information about our courses. Click on “Quick Enroll” and enter Reg# V3545. Complete the online enrollment form for secure registration.
Phone
Use American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or VISA. Call (310) 825-9971 or (818) 784-7006.
Refunds
A service charge of $30 is withheld from all refunds (full refund if course is canceled, discontinued, or rescheduled). Refund request must be postmarked or phoned in by the close of business, Monday, October 5, 2009 (no refunds after this date).
Tax Credit
You might be eligible for a tax credit for fees paid at UCLA Extension. For details, see the tax information in the General Information section of the quarterly catalog, or visit www.uclaextension.edu.
Further Information
Call Christine Rector, UCLA Extension, at (310) 206-7259 or e-mail crector@uclaextension.edu.