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Zero Waste Principles and Practices Certification

This program is issued jointly by CRRA and SWANA and is administered as part of the SWANA Certification Program recognized throughout the United States and Canada.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE FALL COURSE - OCTOBER 2-6, 2023, CLICK HERE


For over 40 years CRRA has been a leader in Zero Waste education in California.  Now, joining forces with SWANA, CRRA offers a new professional development course that will certify professionals in Zero Waste Principles and Practices throughout North America.

This course provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of rapidly emerging public and private sector Zero Waste programs and the key principles that support these programs. The course also provides tools to help draw together aspects of existing programs and new efforts into community-specific Zero Waste Programs.

The Zero Waste Principles & Practices certification course is a joint undertaking of SWANA and the California Resource Recovery Association. CRRA is dedicated to achieving environmental sustainability in and beyond California through Zero Waste strategies. SWANA, with its work in 45 chapters across the United States and Canada, is committed to educating professionals working in the industry and to moving the industry as a whole from a focus on solid waste management to resource management.

Content and Approach

The Zero Waste Principles & Practices course encompasses a broad overview of Zero Waste principles and practices in 10 modules covering public policy, programs, technology and measurement:

  • Introduction to Zero Waste, including a survey of different definitions and perspectives
  • What’s In Your Waste Stream?
  • Upstream, Midstream and Downstream: understanding Zero Waste strategies as they affect each stage of product lifestyles
  • Collections Options
  • Processing Technology Options
  • Managing Organics
  • Public Venues and Challenging Materials
  • Changing Behavior through Education and Outreach
  • Financing and Funding
  • Contracting and Partnerships

The course provides many opportunities for discussion among instructors and participants. It draws on current materials and examples from outside the published manual and engages students in several in-class exercises.

The Zero Waste Principles and Practices Certification is issued jointly by CRRA and SWANA and is administered as part of the SWANA Certification Program recognized throughout the United States and Canada.

Individuals and employers who will benefit from Zero Waste Principles and Practices Certification:

  • Municipal and tribal recycling and solid waste professionals

  • Recycling and solid waste services providers

  • Consultants and contractors serving the recycling sector

  • Business and municipal sustainability professionals

  • Zero Waste and sustainability community advocates

  • Private and public sector policymakers

  • Private/non-profit business sustainability professionals.

This course focuses on developing community-specific Zero Waste plans for reducing, reusing, and recycling materials found in municipal solid waste (MSW) generated from residential, commercial and institutional sources.

For updates and news on upcoming classes, join our mailing list. 

 


Upcoming events

  • Prevention, Reuse, and Repair (PRR) Quarterly Call

    • 28 Jan 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Prevention, Reuse, and Repair (PRR) Technical Council 

    2026 Quarterly Member Meetings

    At our first PRR Technical Council quarterly meeting, discover Long Beach's annual reuse-focused program BYO Month — bring your own reusables to reduce waste! This program aims to reduce single-use disposables by encouraging the community to bring their own reusable cups and containers to reuse-friendly businesses in the city. Alongside business engagement and data tracking, learn about the education campaign that makes October's BYO Month a success.

    There will be a Q&A session, as well as a discussion about the upcoming quarterly PRR meetings!

    Join us on Wednesday, January 28th, 11 am -12 pm via Zoom!

    BYO Month will be presented by Tory Romero and Veronica Allen, Recycling Specialists with the City of Long Beach.

    To register, you must be part of PRR's online member community. Click HERE to join PRR and head to the Events tab for registration information.


    The Prevention, Reuse, and Repair Technical Council's mission to promote waste prevention, materials reuse and repair for the purpose of achieving Zero Waste in California and beyond. To learn more about PRR click here.

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  • Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Monthly Call

    • 02 Feb 2026
    • 01 Jun 2026
    • 5 sessions

    Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Technical Council 

    2026 Member Meetings

    Join HHW TC for it's monthly members meetings in 2026. Meetings are set to occur each month, on the first Monday, from 10-11AM.

    To register, you must be part of HHW's online member community. Click HERE to join HHW and head to the Events tab for registration information. To learn more about HHW click here.

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  • Edible Food Recovery (EFR) Monthly Call

    • 10 Feb 2026
    • 14 Jul 2026
    • 6 sessions

    Edible Food Recovery (EFR) Technical Council 

    2026 Member Meetings

    Join EFR TC for its monthly members meetings in 2026. Meetings are set to occur each month, on the second Tuesday, from 12-1PM.

    To register, you must be part of EFR's online member community. Click HERE to join EFR and head to the Events tab for registration information.

    The Edible Food Recovery Technical Council's mission is to promote edible food recovery for the purpose of helping with food insecuirty and removing edible resources from the waste or compost stream. To learn more about EFR click here.

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  • Local Agency Technical Council (LATC) Meeting

    • 24 Feb 2026
    • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Local Agency Technical Council (LATC) Meeting 

    Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m. as we kick off our first LATC meeting of the new year.

    Next month’s session will feature a Speaker Series focused on “Special Events” and how they support local agencies in meeting state mandated AB 2176 and SB 1383 solid waste and recycling compliance requirements.

    To register for this webinar, you must be a part of LATC's online community. Sign up HERE and look for registration information once admitted to the community. 

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  • California Organics Recycling Council (CORC) Monthly Call

    • 26 Feb 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

    California Organics Recycling Council (CORC) February 2026 Member Meeting: Compost Academics

    Join CORC for the first all members meeting of 2026. We will hear from two researchers at the Ryals lab at UC Merced:

    • Michael V. Rodriguez, a post doc, will share about an initiative called Central Valley Community Composting, a growing partnership between UC researchers and community-based organizations. He will talk about the general implementation and outcomes of small-scale composting on community gardens sites. He will also share research results from measuring gas emissions from the composting process, compost properties, and some community engaged research projects.

    • Zachary Malone, a PhD candidate, will present on the short-term (3 months to 2 years) impacts of compost application on soil greenhouse gas emissions, soil nutrient levels, and plant production. Complimenting this, he will also present a project on how 30 years of compost application impacts soil carbon (increasing!), and other soil health metrics, up to one meter deep in urban turfgrass soil systems.

    To register, you must be part of CORC's online member community. Click HERE to join CORC and head to the Events tab for registration information.

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 California Resource Recovery Association   813 Harbor Blvd #185   West Sacramento, CA 95691  (916) 441-2772

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