The NCEES Model Law

The NCEES Model Law

The NCEES Model Law

03/03/26

“What defines the powers and duties for U.S. engineers and surveyor licensing boards?”

In the U.S., obtaining an engineering or surveying license is incredibly important to practice these professions in public service. Each state has its own licensing board that governs how engineers and surveyors are licensed to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public. To help develop suitable and uniform licensing laws across all states, the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) has developed The NCEES Model Law to define licensing boards’ powers and duties. 

RCRA Listed Waste

RCRA Listed Waste

RCRA Listed Waste

03/02/26

“Is there a US EPA list that tells us if a particular waste is hazardous?”

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) classifies how the US EPA handles waste. Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in part 261 has four lists, the F, K, P, and U lists, that delineates if a particular type of waste is hazardous. It’s important for American waste producers to check if they’re creating RCRA Listed Waste.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

03/01/26

“How does the U.S. federal government regulate solid and hazardous waste disposal?”

Solid and hazardous waste needs proper disposal and maintenance to protect public health. In 1976, the U.S launched the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to administer “cradle to grave” requirements for hazardous waste landfill/disposal criteria for non-hazardous solid wastes.  

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Sampling

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Sampling

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Sampling

02/28/26

“How do we sample waste to make sure it isn’t hazardous?”

Proper waste disposal is important for keeping the local environment clean. Under the US Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), waste generators must determine if their waste is hazardous. If there’s uncertainty about the waste composition, then waste generators must take samples to labs to determine if the waste is ignitable, corrosive, reactive, and/or toxic. Because waste samples can vary widely in contaminants, the waste generator must apply statistical sampling procedures. This means determining the mean, standard deviation, probability of detecting contamination if it truly exists, confidence that our conclusion is correct, the smallest difference from the regulatory standard that we want to detect, and the number of samples needed. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Sampling is a vital part of determining waste hazards in the U.S.

Suspended Growth Wastewater Treatment

Suspended Growth Wastewater Treatment

Suspended Growth Wastewater Treatment

02/27/26

“How can we treat wastewater with free-floating microorganisms?”

There are many ways to go about wastewater treatment. One of the most common categories is for microorganisms to float freely in wastewater and consume pollutants. This Suspended Growth Wastewater Treatment is an effective way to treat wastewater through mixing the right microorganisms. Activated sludge treatment and aeration lagoons are examples of suspended growth wastewater treatment.

Image credit: https://www.waterandwastewater.com/

Biofilm

Biofilm

Biofilm

02/25/26

“How can microorganisms coalesce into a sticky object?”

Microorganisms are a wonder to behold. They have so many features that their larger-scale cousins cannot even dream of. One of these is that they’re able to coalesce together to create a sticky object called a Biofilm. Biofilms have a three-dimensional structure and are often conceptualized as “cities for microbes”. Biofilms are commonly used in wastewater treatment to extract and digest organic compounds.

Image credit: https://www.biologicalwasteexpert.com/

Curb

Curb

Curb

02/24/26

“How can we delineate the edge of street pavement through elevation?”

It’s useful to have a physical delineation between street and sidewalk in many instances. This could range from limiting cars from hurting pedestrians to routing stormwater through catch basins. This grade-separated delineation is known as a Curb. Curbs have become one of the most ubiquitous urban features in many parts of the globe.

Slow Sand Filters

Slow Sand Filters

Slow Sand Filters

02/23/26

“How can we slowly filter water through sand?”

Sand Filters come in all different shapes and sizes. The earliest sand filters were slow-operating mechanisms. Water would slowly trickle over a large, contained sand bed. Over the course of a few weeks, the sand bed will develop a Schmutzdecke, or thin biofilm derived from the accumulation of suspended organic particles and microorganisms from the water. The schmutzdecke will break down organic contaminants as water passes through it. The sand will then adsorb and retain particles from the water as it passes through. The slow process allows for the creation and operation of the schmutzdecke. These Slow Sand Filters are an electricity and chemical-free way to biologically and physically treat water. Slow sand filters usually have a loading rate of 200 – 400 liters of water per square meter per hour, forcing them to take up large amounts of space for municipal usage.

Image credit: http://www.waterandwastewater.com