HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1670

BYRepresentatives Cooper, D. Sommers, Sprenkle, May, Meyers, Jacobsen, Ferguson, Fisher, Walker, Peery, Holland, Pruitt, Rust, Todd and Unsoeld

Providing for the certification of operators of solid waste incinerators.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Brekke, Ferguson, Jesernig, Pruitt, Schoon, D. Sommers, Sprenkle, Unsoeld and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Gulick (786-7116)

AS REPORTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

FEBRUARY 4, 1988

BACKGROUND:

New regulations, such as the minimum functional standards for solid waste, have resulted in more sophisticated and expensive landfills.  These landfills require stringent monitoring as well as continual oversight of what is disposed.

The costs and environmental concerns of landfills have led to an increasing interest in burning solid waste in incinerators.  Incinerators have their own environmental concerns, including toxic ash generation and air emissions.  When an incinerator is operated properly, the volume of both the ash and air pollution is reduced.

Currently there are no state requirements that operators of landfills or incinerators receive training prior to employment.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL: By January 1, 1991, the owner of an incinerator or landfill must employ a certified operator.  The Department of Ecology must adopt rules providing for the classification of landfills.  At a minimum the rules will require that all landfills have a certified landfill operator on call. More complex landfills will be required to have certified landfill operators on-site whenever the landfill is operating.  Incinerators must have at least one certified operator on site whenever they are operating.

The Department of Ecology will adopt rules to establish a process to certify operators.  Operators must attend training sessions, pass required examinations, and pay a fee. The fees will cover the costs of administering the program. The rules must include an appeals process for the denial or revocation of certificates, and a process to automatically certify persons who have received comparable certification from other states, local governments, the federal government or professional organizations.  Inspectors of incinerators and landfills must also be certified.

A board of advisors for incineration and landfill operator certification is established.  The board will be a subcommittee of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee and will consist of five members appointed by the Director of the Department of Ecology.  The board will review and comment on rules adopted by the Department of Ecology.

A list of criteria and a process for revocation of certificates is specified.  After January 1, 1990, it is illegal for any person to operate a landfill or incineration facility unless the operators are properly certified.  Violations are punishable as misdemeanors.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The substitute bill: 1) Delays the effective date for one year; 2) Changes the board of examiners to a subcommittee of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee; 3) Requires that inspectors must also be certified; and 4) Allows certificates to be revoked if a facility is operated in violation of state or federal environmental laws.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 19, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Catherine Leone, Tacoma City Light; Nancy Pearson, Washington Citizens for Recycling; Jim Williams, Washington Association of Counties; Kathy Collins, Association of Washington Cities.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Proper operation of incinerators is essential for environmental protection and public acceptance.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.