SWANA issues documents to distinguish ‘essential’ workers amid pandemic shutdowns

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, has issued a letter, memo and vehicle placard for members to use to identify themselves as “essential critical infrastructure” workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As more states and cities issue emergency declarations limiting nonessential work and travel, these documents will allow solid waste and recycling workers and others to provide documentation demonstrating their exemption to law enforcement personnel and others if necessary. The letter and vehicle placard cite the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) March 19 memo and applicable state and local emergency declarations.   

The letter is accompanied by a cover memo directed to employers instructing them on how to customize the letter and effectively distribute it to their employees. SWANA says that it recognizes that clear communication with the public and state and local officials is vital to protecting worker and public safety, which is why these documents have

“We have received calls and emails from waste haulers across the United States seeking guidance concerning how their workers will be able to demonstrate to law enforcement officials that their employees are considered essential. This letter, which is available on our website to both members and non-members, will assist haulers and others [in creating] a customized letter to provide to their workers. This will be particularly helpful for when employees and contractors are going to or from work in their personal vehicles,” SWANA Executive Director and CEO David Biderman says.

Click on the links to download SWANA’s letter, memo and placard.

Additional guidance for the waste industry concerning the coronavirus pandemic is available on SWANA’s website.