NWRA urges Congress and administration to include waste collection in national emergency declaration

The National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) is urging Congress and the Trump administration to include the waste collection industry in the national emergency declaration, exempting waste haulers from Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. NWRA announced March 16 it also sent a letter to Jim Mullen, acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), petitioning the agency to exempt the regulated medical waste sector from Parts 390-399 of FMCSA regulations. Additionally, NWRA sent draft legislative language to Congress that would amend federal law to include waste collection haulers in the FMCSA HOS exemption when the president declares a national emergency.

“History has shown that where there is poor sanitation, disease and illness spread. We urge Congress and President Trump to take action on our requests to ensure that doesn’t happen now or during future national emergencies,” Darrell Smith, NWRA president and CEO, says.

NWRA said it is continuing to follow developments closely and has provided guidance to its members to address safe handling of waste during the COVID-19 pandemic.