Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Waste Technician

🎯 Role Definition

The Waste Technician is a hands-on field operator responsible for the safe, compliant collection, handling, packaging, labeling, staging, and documentation of municipal, industrial, and hazardous wastes. This role enforces regulatory requirements (EPA/RCRA, DOT), operates waste handling equipment and transport vehicles, performs routine inspections and maintenance, responds to spills and emergencies, and collaborates with environmental, operations, and EHS teams to ensure waste streams are managed efficiently and within legal and corporate protocols. Strong attention to safety, chain-of-custody recordkeeping, and customer-focused communication with site personnel are essential.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Custodial/Facilities Technician
Recycling Operator or Sorter
General Laborer with industrial experience

Advancement To:

Senior Waste Technician / Shift Lead
Waste Operations Supervisor
Environmental Technician / EHS Specialist
Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Technician

Lateral Moves:

Route Driver / Transfer Station Operator
Field Services Technician (maintenance)
Compliance Auditor (waste / EHS)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Safely collect, segregate, package, label and stage non-hazardous and hazardous wastes (solids, liquids, sludges, contaminated soils) in accordance with company procedures and regulatory requirements such as RCRA, DOT, and local waste codes.
Prepare and complete waste manifests, shipping papers, and chain-of-custody documentation accurately, ensuring all regulatory fields, generator IDs, EPA numbers and proper shipping names are recorded before transport.
Operate waste handling equipment including roll-off trucks, vacuum trucks, compactors, forklifts, skid steers, and front-end loaders to load/unload waste containers and manage onsite consolidation points.
Conduct field evaluations and waste characterization (visual, physical, and simple chemical tests) to identify proper waste streams, determine appropriate packaging, and prevent cross-contamination.
Execute hazardous waste packaging and labeling using UN-approved drums, DOT markings, GHS labels, and placarding requirements, verifying container integrity and compatibility with waste chemistry.
Perform daily safety inspections, equipment pre-use checks, and preventive maintenance tasks for vehicles, pumps, hoses, containment booms, and PPE to ensure safe and reliable operations.
Respond to spills, releases and emergency incidents: deploy containment, absorbents, neutralizers, and decontamination procedures; coordinate with EHS and initiate incident reporting and corrective actions.
Load, secure and prepare waste shipments for transport, verifying weight tickets, placarding, proper segregation, short-lived hazardous waste controls and communicating with carriers to ensure compliant dispatch.
Maintain detailed, audit-ready records in paper and electronic systems (CMMS, ERP, or proprietary waste management software) including manifests, chain-of-custody, inspection logs, shipping records and training certifications.
Conduct routine site walkthroughs and container inspections to identify leaks, bulging drums, secondary containment breaches, or unsafe storage practices; document findings and escalate per protocol.
Collect representative waste samples and complete sample documentation (chain-of-custody, sample labels) for laboratory analysis to confirm characterization and disposal route decisions.
Execute confined space entry, hot work permitting support, and other high-risk activities following permit procedures, atmospheric monitoring and buddy/rescue provisions.
Implement waste minimization and recycling initiatives at client sites by segregating recyclable materials, maintaining diversion logs, and recommending operational improvements to reduce disposal costs.
Interface directly with clients, facility managers and transport carriers to coordinate pickups, special handling requirements, regulatory notifications, and schedule adjustments while maintaining professional customer service.
Ensure compliance with HAZWOPER, hazardous communication (HazCom/GHS), PPE policies, and site-specific safety plans through on-the-job enforcement and participation in safety meetings.
Train and mentor junior technicians, temporary contractors and site personnel on safe waste handling, segregation protocols, use of PPE, and proper documentation practices.
Support environmental audits and regulatory inspections by preparing documentation, answering inspector questions, and implementing post-inspection corrective actions.
Conduct weigh scale operations, reconcile waste tonnages with manifests, and generate disposal costbacks and reconciliations for billing and internal accounting.
Implement and verify proper decontamination procedures for tools, equipment and vehicles after hazardous waste operations to prevent cross-contamination and environmental release.
Maintain inventory of waste containers, over-pack drums, absorbents, PPE and clean-up supplies; reorder stock and coordinate vendor deliveries to maintain readiness for routine and emergency operations.
Coordinate with laboratory, treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) to confirm acceptance criteria, schedule transfers, and ensure all manifests and regulatory notifications are finalized.
Assist in the development and continuous improvement of standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety procedures, and waste management plans to increase operational efficiency and compliance.
Use GPS and route-planning software to execute efficient pick-up schedules, log route completion, and update dispatch with exception reports when deviations occur.
Monitor and maintain secondary containment systems, stormwater controls and erosion measures around waste storage areas to prevent environmental releases and runoff contamination.
Perform basic mechanical troubleshooting and repair on pumps, valves, hoses and mobile equipment to minimize downtime and restore mission-critical operations.
Conduct routine atmospheric monitoring for flammable, oxygen and toxic gases when required; document readings and follow escalation protocols for exceedances.
Participate in incident investigations, root cause analysis and corrective action planning to reduce recurrence and communicate lessons learned across operations.

Secondary Functions

Support administrative waste reporting, invoicing support and data entry into company waste tracking systems.
Contribute to client-facing waste reduction proposals and offer practical on-site recommendations to increase diversion and lower disposal costs.
Assist EHS team with internal audits, record collection and implementing corrective actions from regulatory findings.
Help coordinate training schedules, maintain training records, and support competency assessments for waste handling staff.
Participate in continuous improvement projects including route optimization, cost analysis, and operational efficiency initiatives.
Provide seasonal or ad-hoc support to related operations (recycling centers, transfer stations, treatment facilities) during peak demand.
Collaborate with procurement to evaluate vendors for waste containers, PPE and remediation supplies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Hazardous waste handling and RCRA compliance (knowledge of characteristic and listed wastes, accumulation time limits, satellite accumulation area practices).
DOT hazardous materials shipping and manifest preparation, including knowledge of proper shipping names, UN/NA numbers, packing groups and placarding.
HAZWOPER awareness and operational-level experience (8-hour, 24-hour or 40-hour training depending on role); ability to execute spill response and emergency procedures.
Confined space entry procedures and permit-required confined space experience, including atmospheric monitoring and rescue awareness.
Operation and maintenance of waste handling equipment: roll-offs, vacuum trucks, compactors, forklifts, skid steers and associated hydraulics.
Forklift certification and experience with powered industrial trucks; safe rigging and load securement skills.
Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), decontamination techniques, and respiratory protection programs.
Sample collection, labeling, chain-of-custody procedures and basic field testing (pH, specific gravity, PID/Toximeter usage).
Basic mechanical and preventive maintenance skills for pumps, valves, scales and containment systems.
Electronic and paper recordkeeping: CMMS, waste tracking software, Microsoft Excel and mobile data-collection devices.
Spill containment, absorbent application, neutralization and decontamination of surfaces and equipment.
Knowledge of GHS labeling, Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) interpretation and hazardous chemical compatibility.
GPS/route-planning and dispatch software familiarity for pickup scheduling and fleet coordination.
Basic vehicle operation and CDL-B or CDL-A with Hazmat endorsement (preferred/where applicable).
Scale operation and tonnage reconciliation for billing and regulatory reporting.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and accuracy in documentation, manifests and regulatory records.
Excellent situational awareness and safety-first mindset in dynamic field environments.
Clear verbal and written communication skills for interacting with clients, drivers, and regulators.
Problem-solving and critical thinking to triage waste characterization and respond to unplanned events.
Teamwork and collaborative approach when coordinating multi-disciplinary site activities.
Customer service orientation with ability to de-escalate client issues and provide practical solutions.
Time management and ability to prioritize multiple pickups, inspections and administrative tasks.
Physical stamina and dexterity for lifting, carrying, and operating equipment in varied conditions.
Adaptability to variable work schedules, emergency call-outs and travel between client sites.
Professional integrity and accountability with respect to regulatory compliance and chain-of-custody.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; equivalent combination of education and relevant field experience accepted.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree, technical certificate, or coursework in Environmental Science, Industrial Technology, Occupational Safety, or Waste Management.
Certifications relevant to hazardous materials, hazardous waste operations (HAZWOPER), forklift operation, or CDL where applicable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science / Environmental Technology
Occupational Health & Safety
Waste Management / Industrial Hygiene
Mechanical or Industrial Technology
Environmental Engineering Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

0–3 years for entry-level Waste Technician roles; 2–5+ years for intermediate roles that handle hazardous waste and supervisory responsibilities.

Preferred:

2+ years of hands-on experience in municipal, industrial or hazardous waste operations with documented familiarity with RCRA, DOT shipping, manifesting, sample collection, and spill response.
Prior experience operating roll-off trucks, vacuum trucks, forklifts, and performing routine equipment maintenance.
Demonstrated history of working under safety programs (HAZWOPER, confined space, respiratory protection) and successful participation in regulatory inspections or audits.