Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Specialist is an operational and compliance-focused professional responsible for managing the lifecycle of non-product waste streams across facilities and projects. This role ensures safe handling, regulatory compliance (local, state, federal), proper classification, documentation, transportation, and final disposition of solid, hazardous, universal, and recyclable wastes. The Waste Specialist partners with environmental health & safety (EHS), operations, procurement, and external vendors to minimize environmental risk, reduce disposal costs, increase diversion, and support corporate sustainability goals. Ideal candidates are detail-oriented, regulatory-savvy, and experienced in waste profiling, manifests, and waste vendor management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Technician
EHS Coordinator
Facilities or Operations Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Waste Specialist / Waste Program Lead
Environmental Compliance Manager
EHS Manager / Sustainability Manager

Lateral Moves:

Hazardous Materials Advisor
Sustainability or Zero-Waste Coordinator
Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and maintain an auditable waste management program for solid, hazardous, universal, and recyclable streams, including written procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and training materials that ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., RCRA, DOT, OSHA).
Conduct routine waste characterization and profiling by sampling, labeling, and performing chemical and physical analyses as required; determine correct waste codes, characteristics (ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, toxicity), and disposal route.
Manage cradle-to-grave waste tracking including generation documentation, accumulation area controls, manifests, electronic tracking systems, transport coordination, and final disposal confirmation to maintain regulatory records and reporting compliance.
Prepare, review, and sign hazardous waste manifests, land ban certificates, waste profiles, and other regulatory documentation while ensuring accuracy and completeness for transport and disposal vendors.
Coordinate with approved waste carriers and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) to schedule pickups, negotiate service contracts, and monitor vendor compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements.
Perform daily/weekly inspections of satellite accumulation areas (SAAs), central accumulation areas (CAAs), and emergency response equipment to verify container integrity, labeling, secondary containment, segregation, and proper housekeeping.
Lead internal and third-party waste management audits, perform corrective action tracking, and implement remediation plans to address nonconformances and reduce regulatory risk and potential fines.
Support incident response and spill remediation efforts by providing technical guidance on containment, cleanup, sampling, waste segregation, and disposal in coordination with EHS and operations teams.
Analyze waste generation data and prepare monthly/quarterly reports on waste volumes, disposal costs, diversion rates, and sustainability KPIs to identify cost-saving and waste-reduction opportunities.
Implement waste minimization and source reduction initiatives by collaborating with procurement, operations, and process engineering to reduce hazardous constituents, optimize packaging, and increase reuse/recycling.
Train and coach facility personnel, contractors, and temporary staff on proper waste segregation, container handling, labeling, emergency procedures, and recordkeeping to ensure program adoption and reduce incidents.
Maintain regulatory knowledge by tracking changes in federal, state, and local waste regulations, interpreting impacts on company operations, and updating policies and training accordingly.
Coordinate cross-functional projects to implement recycling programs (e.g., batteries, e-waste, solvents, metals), vendor take-back programs, and material reclamation opportunities to increase diversion and reduce landfill use.
Manage disposal cost budgets and perform vendor invoice reconciliation and cost allocation in partnership with procurement and finance to ensure accurate billing and identify cost recovery options.
Conduct waste stream risk assessments and life cycle reviews to support capital planning, remediation projects, and long-term facility closure plans.
Prepare permit applications, notifications, and annual reports required by regulatory agencies; respond to regulatory inspections and information requests on behalf of the company.
Establish and maintain emergency preparedness and contingency plans specific to waste storage and transport, including coordination with local emergency responders and contractors.
Oversee label creation and implementation for hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, ensuring compatibility with OSHA HazCom and global labeling requirements where applicable.
Maintain accurate, auditable records for required retention periods, including manifests, shipment confirmations, training logs, disposal certificates, and analytical data for waste characterization.
Drive continuous improvement by benchmarking best practices, piloting new technologies (e.g., waste-to-energy, solvent distillation, on-site treatment), and scaling successful pilots across sites.
Evaluate new materials, processes, and vendor services for waste reduction potential and regulatory compliance prior to procurement or operational rollout.
Support sustainability reporting and corporate ESG initiatives by providing data and narrative for waste-related disclosures, certifications, and stakeholder inquiries.

Secondary Functions

Provide subject-matter expertise on waste topics for project teams, capital projects, and new product introductions to ensure waste considerations are incorporated early in design.
Assist procurement with vendor pre-qualification and supply chain due diligence for materials that generate regulated wastes or require take-back.
Support IT and data teams in implementing or enhancing waste management systems (e.g., EHS databases, manifest tracking, LIMS integration) and participate in data validation and migration efforts.
Participate in cross-site forums to standardize waste management practices, share lessons learned, and develop enterprise-level waste reduction targets.
Act as liaison with local community stakeholders, regulatory agencies, and contractors for waste-related inspections, permits, and community outreach programs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Regulatory compliance: Demonstrated knowledge of RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), DOT hazardous materials regulations, OSHA standards (1910.120), and state/local hazardous waste rules.
Waste characterization and profiling: Experience conducting chemical/physical testing, interpreting laboratory reports, and assigning appropriate waste codes (EPA/UN/NA).
Manifesting and tracking: Proficient in preparing and reviewing manifests, land-ban documentation, and cradle-to-grave electronic tracking systems.
Hazardous waste storage & accumulation area management: Strong understanding of satellite accumulation rules, container management, secondary containment, and inspection practices.
Hazardous materials transportation: Familiarity with DOT packaging, marking, labeling, shipping papers, and emergency response requirements.
Waste vendor management: Experience qualifying, auditing, and managing TSDFs, transporters, and recycling vendors with contractual and performance oversight.
Analytical & data skills: Ability to analyze waste generation data, produce KPIs, and use Excel, SQL, or BI tools for reporting and trend analysis.
Environmental sampling & laboratory coordination: Knowledgeable in sampling techniques, chain-of-custody management, and interpreting lab analytical results.
Incident response & spill cleanup: Practical experience supporting emergency response, containment, remediation, and post-incident documentation.
Waste minimization technologies: Familiarity with recycling, reclamation, distillation, waste-to-energy, and on-site treatment options.
Environmental permitting & reporting: Experience preparing notifications, permit applications, and annual/regulatory reports to agencies.
Software competency: Experience with EHS / waste management platforms (e.g., Sphera, Enablon, Gensuite), LIMS, GIS, and manifest/electronic tracking tools.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication; able to produce clear SOPs, regulatory submissions, and training materials.
Stakeholder management and collaboration, working across operations, procurement, regulatory agencies, and contractors.
Attention to detail and accuracy in documentation and regulatory reporting.
Problem-solving orientation with the ability to prioritize competing operational and compliance demands.
Project and time management — able to manage multiple waste streams and initiatives simultaneously.
Training and coaching skills to influence front-line behavior and drive procedural adherence.
Negotiation skills for vendor contracts and cost reduction initiatives.
Adaptability and resilience in regulatory or operational change environments.
Ethical judgment and commitment to safety and environmental stewardship.
Analytical mindset, comfortable with data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Technology, Chemical Technology, or related technical field; OR High school diploma with relevant technical certifications and 3+ years of demonstrable waste management experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Occupational Safety, or a related field.
Preferred certifications: Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Registered Environmental Manager (REM), OSHA HAZWOPER 40-hour, RCRA Inspector training, or state hazardous waste certifications.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science or Environmental Studies
Environmental Engineering or Chemical Engineering
Chemistry or Applied Chemistry
Occupational Health & Safety
Sustainability or Waste Management Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of progressive experience in waste management, EHS, hazardous waste handling, or related environmental roles.

Preferred: 5+ years working in industrial, manufacturing, laboratory, or facility-based waste programs with direct responsibility for hazardous and non-hazardous waste classification, manifests, vendor oversight, and regulatory interactions. Experience across multiple facilities, multi-state regulations, or in a corporate centralized waste program is a plus.