Recycling Health and Safety

Main Content

This course is required for the NJ Recycling Certification Program and can also be taken by current CRPs interested in learning how to minimize hazards and maximize safety at their job sites.

man and woman wearing plastic safety glasses working in a recycling center

Course Status Notice – Not Scheduled

We do not have an offering of this course scheduled at this time. Please join our email list to be notified when the next offering is scheduled!

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Register Now

Contact Pamela Springard-Mayer to Register

Email: pspring@rutgers.edu
Phone: 848-932-7463

In addition to those enrolled in the NJ Recycling Certification Series, this course can be taken by active CRPs who would like to earn CRP recertification credits and those who wish to attain the Sustainable Resource Management Professional (SRMP) certification.

Course Details

Course Name: Recycling Health and Safety
Course Code: ER0108CA26
Date of Most Recent Offering: September 10, 2025  

Date: September 10, 2025  UPDATE THIS FOR NEXT OFFERING
Time: 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm (Check-in 12:00 pm)  UPDATE THIS FOR NEXT OFFERING

Location: Ralph Geiger Turfgrass Education Center, 20 Indyk-Engel Way, New Brunswick , NJ 08901 (directions & map to building). IMPORTANT: Parking is only available in the gravel lot behind the Office of Continuing Professional Education’s building (close to Ryders Lane). Here is the map top the parking lot: https://go.rutgers.edu/geiger-parking
Format: Classroom  UPDATE THIS FOR NEXT OFFERING

Registration Fee: $125 per person  UPDATE THIS FOR NEXT OFFERING
Recycling Series Discount Fee: $95 per person (Save when you register for all courses in the Recycling Certification Series!)  UPDATE THIS FOR NEXT OFFERING

Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Course Overview

Certificate iconThis class is part of the NJ Recycling Certification Series.

Workers involved in the recycling field face a variety of health and safety issues on a daily basis. This half-day course was developed to present information on these hazards and to outline the “good practices” that everyone should participate in to make the workplace safe.

Featured Topics

  • Hazards Associated with Recycling
  • Regulatory Requirements
  • Worker Safety and Equipment (Field and Facility)
  • Equipment Maintenance Procedures/Recordkeeping
  • Emergency Planning/Plans (including Hazardous Wastes)
  • How to Make a Recycling Facility the Safest it Can Be, including Public Access and Drop-off Issues

Who Should Attend?

If you are completing the NJ Recycling Certification Program in order to become a Certified Recycling Professional, you must take this course. Current Certified Recycling Professionals and Certified Public Works Managers can also take this course to earn recertification credits.

Meet Your Instructor

Howard Spencer, Signature Safety

Headshot of instructor Howard Spencer

Howard W. Spencer is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Hazard Control Manager (CHCM), and Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). He is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), a member of the National Safety Management Society, and the past President of Veterans of Safety. He received a Master of Engineering degree from Texas A&M University. His Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering was conferred by Letourneau University in Longview, Texas. 

With more than 40 years of experience in the safety field, he is currently employed as a safety consultant with Signature Safety. Prior to this position, Howard was employed by J.A. Montgomery Risk Control for 14 years as a Senior Risk Control consultant for 21 New Jersey municipalities and 29 utility authorities. Additional previous work experience includes serving as the Environmental Manager for The Minute Maid Company (previously Ocean Spray Cranberries) and positions at Mobil Oil Corporation as an Industrial Hygiene/Environmental Advisor, General Electric Corporate Research, Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Amerada Hess Oil Company, Wills Eye Hospital, INA, FMC Corporation, and Aetna Insurance.

Student Reviews

“Very thorough explanation of the course topic. The use of real-life examples throughout the lecture was an excellent addition to the course. [I learned] how to monitor for signs [of] heat illness in workers/select PPE for staying cool in the heat. I will use this information when working out in the heat. “

– Ali Baranowski, NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Environmental Specialist II

“I felt the information was very helpful and clear to understand. [Learned] how important protective gear and protocols are; understanding the dangers involved with handling or being exposed to chemicals, bringing them home on clothing and shoes”

– Kathy Fischbach, Jackson Township Department of Public Works

Clerk I / Recycling Coordinator

“The real life stories that the instructors share are priceless. You have to always think on your feet to avoid a lawsuit. Everything is not always textbook. You have to trust your experience.”

– Khayree Nuradeen, Pleasantville City Department of Public Works

 DPW Superintendent

Continuing Education Credits

The most recent offering of Recycling Health and Safety was approved for 0.3 Rutgers CEUs (3 contact hours), as well as the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.

The Recycling Health and Safety course is approved for 0.3 Rutgers CEUs (3 contact hours), as well as the following credits from professional organizations.

State of New Jersey map iconNew Jersey

NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 1 Technical, 1 Management, 1 Government Contact Hours

NJ Certified Recycling Professionals (CRP): 3 Classroom Recertification Credits

Meals

No breakfast will be provided. Lunch will be available for pre-registered attendees only.

NOTE: If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please alert us at least two (2) weeks in advance of the course start date so that we can make reasonable accommodations. We cannot guarantee accommodations for special requests made after that time.

Course Requirements and Policies

Red car iconCampus Parking Policy

All visitors must register their vehicles ONLINE to park on campus. Please follow the guidelines below. Failure to comply with these policies may result in a citation.

  • A link to register your vehicle will be provided in your course confirmation email. Please be sure to complete this important step prior to traveling to campus.
  • When you park on campus, be sure that your license plate is unobstructed and visible from the driving aisle.
  • All Rutgers faculty/staff/students must use their regular Rutgers permit and park in the nearest lot assigned for their permit type.

email iconEmail Requirement

A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.

  • If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
  • If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
    • Your full name
    • The shared email address that needs to be changed
    • Your unique email address
    • A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions

x icon with circle around itCancellations and Substitutions

A $50 cancellation fee applies for this course. Substitutions are permitted for only non-series recycling individuals. View our cancellation policy.

Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions about Recycling Health and Safety, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Headshot of Rutgers Program Coordinator Pamela Springard-Mayer

Program Coordinator: Pamela Springard-Mayer
848-932-7463
pspring@rutgers.edu

Rutgers University Shield

Administrative Assistant: Claudine Oleskin
848-932-7204
coleskin@njaes.rutgers.edu

For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Three smiling recycling center workers standing in front of recycled cardboard

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