Solid Waste Association of North America

For nearly 50 years, The Solid Waste Association of North America, (SWANA) has been a professional association in the solid waste

Waste

Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...

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
  Waste collection
  Waste collection is the component of waste management which results in the passage of a waste material from the source of production to either the point of treatment or final disposal...
  
  & Transfer
  Transfer station
  A transfer station is a building or processing site for the temporary deposition of waste. Transfer stations are often used as places where local waste collection vehicles will deposit their waste cargo prior to loading into larger vehicles...
  
  — 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
  Communication
  Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
  
  , Education
  Education
  Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
  
  & Marketing
  Marketing
  Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
  
  — The communication, education, and marketing division seeks to enhance the way solid waste organizations interact with their surrounding communities.
- Landfill Gas
  Landfill gas
  Landfill gas is a complex mix of different gases created by the action of microorganisms within a landfill.-Production:Landfill gas production results from chemical reactions and microbes acting upon the waste as the putrescible materials begins to break down in the landfill...
  
  — 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
  Landfill
  A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
  
  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, and provides subscribers with the information they need to stay on the cutting-edge of the solid waste field.
- Recycling
  Recycling
  Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
  
  & Special waste — This division's mission to balance environmental sustainability and the economic feasibility of minimizing municipal solid waste disposal is reflected throughout the Division’s many events, activities and focused technical content.
- Waste-to-Energy
  Waste-to-energy
  Waste-to-energy or energy-from-waste is the process of creating energy in the form of electricity or heat from the incineration of waste source. WtE is a form of energy recovery...
  
  — This division's mission is to ensure that this technology, and other emerging waste combustion technologies, are recognized for what they are—some of the cleanest and most responsible forms of waste management
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:
- Bioreactor Landfill
  Bioreactor landfill
  Landfills are the primary method of waste disposal in many parts of the world, including United States and Canada. Bioreactor landfills are expected to reduce the amount of and costs associated with management of leachate, to increase the rate of production of methane for commercial purposes and...
- Collection
  Waste collection
  Waste collection is the component of waste management which results in the passage of a waste material from the source of production to either the point of treatment or final disposal...
- Composting
- Construction and demolition waste
  Construction and demolition waste
  Construction waste consists of unwanted material produced directly or incidentally by the construction or industries. This includes building materials such as insulation, nails, electrical wiring, and rebar, as well as waste originating from site preparation such as dredging materials, tree stumps,...
- Household Hazardous Waste
  Household Hazardous Waste
  Household hazardous waste , sometimes called retail hazardous waste, is post-consumer waste which qualifies as hazardous waste when discarded. It includes household chemicals and other substances for which the owner no longer has a use, such as consumer products sold for home care, personal care,...
- Landfill
  Landfill
  A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
- Municipal Solid Waste
  Municipal solid waste
  Municipal solid waste , commonly known as trash or garbage , refuse or rubbish is a waste type consisting of everyday items we consume and discard. It predominantly includes food wastes, yard wastes, containers and product packaging, and other miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential,...
  
  Management system
  Management system
  A management system is the framework of processes and procedures used to ensure that an organization can fulfill all tasks required to achieve its objectives....
  
  s
- Transfer
  Transfer station
  A transfer station is a building or processing site for the temporary deposition of waste. Transfer stations are often used as places where local waste collection vehicles will deposit their waste cargo prior to loading into larger vehicles...
- Recycling
  Recycling
  Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
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 selected 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.

External links

Solid Waste Association of North America
MSW Management - Official Journal of SWANA (North America)
CIWM (UK)
ISWA (Global body)