SEATTLE (Waste 360): The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) is working diligently on behalf of the waste and recycling industry by remaining engaged with Congress and the Trump administration to include the waste industry in the national emergency declaration. Doing so would lift certain restrictions, allowing the waste industry to properly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NWRA has sent a letter to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requesting the agency provide guidance to states to issue special weight permits during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the association sent a letter to state agencies seeking temporary exemptions to certain handling requirements for managing waste and recycling during the state of emergency. In its letter, NWRA said its members are preparing for what may be "an upheaval in the way material is managed."

"NWRA has made this request of FHWA to enable haulers to adequately respond to waste that will be generated from the COVID-19 pandemic. History has shown that where there is poor sanitation, disease and illness spread," said Darrell Smith, NWRA president and CEO, in a statement.

"NWRA has made this request of states to enable waste haulers to adequately respond to waste that will be generated during the COVID-19 pandemic," added Smith. "We are [also] urging the federal government to provide our industry relief from certain regulations so that the waste industry can properly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic."

One state taking action on these requests is Virginia, which recently lifted hours of service and weight restrictions in the state for waste operations responding to COVID-19.

“We thank Gov. Northam for including the waste industry in his waiver of weight and width restrictions as well as hours of service regulations. We urge the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to look favorably on our petition and do the same,” noted Smith.

In an effort to further support industry members, NWRA has sent a letter to FHWA requesting relief on expiring commercial driver's licenses, guidance on drug testing and extensions for expiring physicals during the COVID-19 pandemic.