Waste management consultants can work with recycling centers.
Waste management consultants ensure that hazardous and non-hazardous waste is disposed of safely, efficiently and legally. Professionals also help companies design waste management systems that comply with environmental protection laws, limit pollution and enable cost-effective disposal. A waste management specialist may work for an independent consulting firm, a government agency, an industrial manufacturing plant, a recycling center, a water treatment plant, or a hazardous waste treatment facility.
Landfills must have impermeable barriers to prevent leachate from contaminating nearby areas.
Depending on their work environments, waste management consultants may be responsible for a number of different tasks. Many people specialize in creating solutions for solid, liquid, airborne, or radioactive waste. Existing systems used to control pollution and runoff are analyzed to determine their costs, benefits, and drawbacks. Consultants suggest ways to improve systems and explain why new equipment or procedures should be implemented.
Many waste management consultants work in water treatment plants.
Facilities that handle nuclear and hazardous waste products rely on qualified consultants to determine the safest possible means of transporting, storing, and disposing of materials. Consultants use their chemical, physical, and mechanical engineering expertise to ensure truckloads, safety equipment, and isolation sites meet strict government standards. Professionals can conduct field and internet research to determine the most suitable location to create a disposal site and perform contamination and radiation tests to confirm quality standards are met.
Most waste management consultants rigorously study the rules and regulations set forth by national environmental protection agencies. They are required to adhere to ethical and legal standards in their practice, thoroughly investigating waste disposal sites and reporting violations to the appropriate authorities. The consultants assess the risks involved in building a new waste management system and try to predict the environmental and economic impacts it may have.
Professional waste management consultants must have extremely strong verbal and written communication skills. Much of the work involves writing detailed technical reports and explaining ideas to business people, government officials, and the general public. A modern waste management specialist must also be computer literate, able to learn many different computer applications used to analyze air and soil samples, design layouts, and put systems through simulated testing.
People interested in becoming waste management consultants can pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in environmental science, environmental management, biology, chemistry, or a similar scientific field. Some countries require new consultants to pass licensing or certification exams that test their understanding of environmental regulations and safe handling procedures. People who work with radioactive waste must pass additional certification exams before working independently.