Dive Brief:

• The National Waste & Recycling Association (NW&RA) announces a safe driver certification, the first of its kind, for those employed within the waste and recycling industries. 
• The program was developed to suit the needs of commercial drivers who have a valid commercial driver’s license, accompanied by a minimum of one year of practical experience.
• The certification was prompted by waste and recycling companies expressing a desire for certified drivers. 

Dive Insight:

Certification could facilitate companies' hiring decisions, may reduce the amount of accidents and could lower insurance costs. In June, Florida took the safety of sanitation workers seriously by passing the Move Over Act. The law was amended to include waste and recycling workers, and serves to protect them against drivers in vehicles passing sanitation trucks. The NW&RA supported the bill and is working on similar legislation in other states.