Landfill Operators Certification Training

A certified Landfill Operator must be present at a municipal solid waste landfill during all hours of operation, and all Class I Landfills must have a certified operator and attendant. A person interested in obtaining a Landfill Operator certification must take training provided by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and pass an examination conducted by TDEC. The details regarding the training and certification requirements can be found in TN Rule 0400-11-01-.12.

2026 Spring LOCT

The 2026 spring LOCT will be held April 14-16, 2026, at 

Lunch will be provided, and all attendees must show a government ID each day to enter the training and prior to testing.

The event will begin at 8:00 AM CDT.

Testing will be on Thursday afternoon. Anyone needing special accommodations for testing should notify Rebekah Poston for arrangements.

TDEC will provide a certificate of competency for those holding other states' certifications, SWANA, and similar 3rd party private certifications upon showing evidence the certification meets or exceeds Tennessee's criteria, payment of the processing fee is received, and providing all required information. Required topics are Landfill Math, Landfill Plans, Landfill Operations, Surveying, Waste Acceptance/Random Inspections, Groundwater Monitoring, Landfill Gas Management, Erosion Control, Liners & Leachate Collection, Closure & Post Closure, Compliance Inspections & Recordkeeping, and the successful completion of an examination.

Additional training opportunities for certified Landfill Operators to obtain the required 24 hours for recertification include online or approved relevant training from 3rd parties or environmental conferences. For questions or clarifications on solid waste regulations and training materials, individuals can contact Nickolaus Lytle at Nickolaus.Lytle@tn.gov.

All certified Landfill Operators are required to have on file an Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Attestation form CN-1497 (EVEA), a copy of a valid driver’s license or state ID, and their social security number. Those without this information on file are subject to having their certification revoked. To receive updates via email, update contact information, or request an invoice for training, individuals can contact Rebekah Earl at Rebekah.Poston@tn.gov.