"When you refuse to reuse, it's the earth you abuse." -Unknown
With so much chatter about the environment and how it is going from bad to worse, we all need to keep our ears open and eyes peeled on what we can do to make a difference.
One of the most incredible things that all of us should be doing is recycling. By reusing and recycling, we take matters into our own hands and recognise that we have an essential part to play.
Some individuals have been so inspired by recycling and controlling how waste is disposed of that they have considered a career in waste management.
It's important to state that waste management doesn't solely include driving trucks and picking up rubbish but also encompasses scientific techniques to dispose of harmful waste and dissolve it.
Without further delay, let's consider some careers in waste management, how it is related to chemistry, and why persons with a chemistry degree might examine employment positions in waste management.
What is Waste Management?
When you Google "Waste Management", the first result you are likely to see is the privatised American company known as Waste Management owned and operated in the United States. So, is that what we're talking about today? Not.
While they may have coined the phrase "Waste Management", it is a much broader term that can be defined as the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. Waste management is implemented in countries all around the world. Also, it's worth stating that depending on the engineering, chemists, and waste managers in a given nation, the methods of eliminating and handling waste may vary.
Since waste management is an extensive topic with a lot of subdisciplines, it comes as no surprise that it can be divided into primary components. Such as? The following list mentions a few of the significant sections of waste management:
- Onsite handling,
- Storage and processing,
- Waste collection,
- The transfer and transport of solid waste,
- Waste recovery and final disposal.
Nonetheless, you might have been wondering, since we're writing a series of articles about how chemistry graduates may find work across various sectors, why are we mentioning waste management? Read the following subheading to unlock the answer!
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How is Chemistry Used in Waste Management?
For most, including myself, chemistry and waste management have always been two very separate topics that never seemed to be mixed. However, contrary to popular belief, chemistry and its scientific properties are regularly used in waste management. But, how?
When dealing with harmful or hazardous waste, various waste management officers will enlist the expert opinion of chemical waste chemists and unsafe waste management chemists. Both of these types of chemists have been to school to become professionals in their domain, and the advice they provide waste managers is indispensable.
Hazardous waste chemists use skills that have been honed through their study of analytical chemistry to determine the chemical properties of a particular substance and whether or not it is deemed hazardous. For example, suppose it is classified as harmful to the environment. In that case, they will work as a team with other scientists such as biologists and toxicologists to identify ways to get rid of the hazardous material most safely.
Chemical waste chemists try to find solutions to reduce pollution, clean up the air and the soil using helpful treatments, and ensure that dangerous waste is handled in the best way possible. For example, chemical waste chemists might employ compost or organic chemistry methods to break down rubbish and positively contribute to a better environment.
Now we understand how chemistry and waste management are related! But, how long does it take to become skilled at waste management employment positions that require chemistry? Keep on reading to find out more!
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Studying Waste Management
No matter what type of job you are applying for in the waste management sector, it is necessary to have some skills or qualifications. For instance, to work as a person who picks up waste, the following aspects are fundamental:
- An eagerness to perform hard work,
- A love of driving,
- The ability to work in all types of weather,
- A willingness to get dirty,
- A good driving record.
- The ability to lift heavy things.
If you have all of the majority of the previously mentioned skills honed, you are ready to work as a garbage collector with no previous academic qualifications required.
However, on the other hand, if you want to experience a rewarding career in waste management, it is essential to apply for a graduate job. The overwhelming majority of graduate jobs require that students complete a university programme.
Therefore, to be eligible to work as a waste management officer or hazardous material chemist, the first step requires good grades in secondary school at a GCSE and A-Level in academic disciplines such as chemistry, physics, biology, and maths.
Secondly, to dig deeper into the world of waste management and enjoy a fruitful career that is interesting and well-paying, a university degree in a relevant subject such as waste management, environmental management, or biology is required. Successfully acquiring a uni certificate will set you ahead of the competition.
Before applying for waste management jobs, it doesn't hurt to gain experience by using for internships, asking for advice from experienced ones, and honing skills.
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A Few Available Careers in Waste Management
With a domain as diverse as waste management, it's not surprising to hear that there are many types of employment positions available. Such as?
When checking job finding sites such as Monster, Indeed, Glassdoor, and Reed, there are plenty of jobs in the sector of waste management that include the following:
- Solid Waste Engineer,
- Rubbish Collector,
- Project Engineer,
- Waste Management Sales Executive,
- Chemical Waste Management,
- Technical Coordinators,
- Loaders.
All of the previously mentioned jobs are well paid and diverse. Depending on your interests, budget, and location, you can easily find waste management employment positions near your place of residence.
It's worth stating that with a little bit of higher education, you can engage in a position that is known as a waste management officer. Waste management officers may work with public sectors such as the local government of private garbage disposal companies. They oversee how trash is disposed of and work with others to encounter measures to recycle more and help the environment.
Additionally, as we mentioned in one of our previous subheadings, those with chemistry degrees may encounter jobs known as chemical waste chemists and hazardous waste chemists.
We remarkably recommend looking at job-hunting websites for relevant waste management jobs that are near your place of residence.
Why Work in Waste Management
With so many different and exciting careers out there, a person might ask themself, why should I consider a career in waste management? Unfortunately, working in waste management is incredibly confusing for those who boast a degree in chemistry since many job openings exist in their field.
Nonetheless, we thought it might be insightful to consider some of the best reasons you should work in waste management.
Without further ado, the following list highlights the three most exciting motives to work in the sector of waste management:
- An Active Job: if sitting down in your office for hours upon hours isn't for you, we highly recommend that you consider a more active job that boasts some physical exercise. Such as? A career in waste managers. Whether you are picking up rubbish on the back of a truck or a waste management officer coordinating different tasks, you will be on your feet and get some exercise while working.
- Variety of Job Positions: while you might have quickly thought in the first place that waste management solely involves collecting rubbish, you were probably surprised to discover that the sector of waste management has many job openings. For instance, you can work behind the scenes as a manager for private or public companies to determine how the waste will be handled and disposed of. Also, you can implement aspects of chemistry, as we saw in one of the previous subheadings, to deal with toxic waste environmentally friendly.
- Secure Employment: while the demand across several sectors of employment may fluctuate and not always be stable, it's important to state that those working in waste management will always have a secure job since, well, there will always be rubbish!
In conclusion, working in waste management with a chemistry degree should never be viewed as a "waste" of time!
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