Brennan Whitehead
Lake Charles
Summary
Independent Environmental Specialist committed to growing positive relationships with clients and colleagues at various organizational levels. Polished in overseeing field examinations and reporting and developing and recommending solutions to eliminate pollution or environmental hazards.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Environmental Specialist II
Westlake Chemical Lake Charles, LA
01.2024 - Current
- Ensures day-to-day plant compliance with applicable environmental regulations.
- Assists in preparing compliance calendars, permit requirement summaries, and compliance checklists.
- Performs weekly SPCC and Hazardous Waste Storage Area inspections.
- Monitors inventory, schedules disposal, and signs manifests of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
- Reviews third-party lab analysis for solid waste disposal profiling determinations.
- Manages training required by environmental permits or regulations, including development of environmental content and conducting training on hazardous waste management and stormwater pollution prevention.
- Ensures site compliance with RCRA permit.
- Submits or assists with any required agency reporting, including but not limited to those required by LPDES, RCRA, and DEA; such as: Annual Hazardous Waste Report and the Industrial Solid Waste Report.
- Provides technical support to the Complex for Corrective Actions/Recommendations for spills and releases.
- Review/update department procedures annually.
- Supports Operations and Regional HSE Business Unit Partners to analyze, review, and report status of compliance monthly.
- Submits class 1 modifications to hazardous waste permit as needed.
Chemist II
Westlake Chemical Lake Charles, LA
01.2016 - 01.2024
- Utilized digital tracking applications to indicate the completion of routine samples required by permits.
- Reviewed analytical data from contract labs to determine if further testing of waste samples is required.
- Facilitated a new contract lab for quick turnaround times for important waste samples.
- Assured methods performed by the environmental laboratory meet standards and are valid to use for submitting to agencies.
- Collaborated with a special team to find the source of high BOD results in the final outfall stream.
- Authored new SOP documents as new methods or instrumentation were brought into the lab.
- Reviewed Environmental Lab Department SOPs annually and updated documents as needed.
Senior Chemical Laboratory Technician
Westlake Chemical Lake Charles, LA
01.2012 - 01.2016
- Maintained Quality Control Information for the facility’s solid waste, released water, and air emissions through the use of several analytical tests and instruments.
- Utilized Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry to identify organic content of environmental samples for federal compliance using EPA methods 624 and 8260.
- Coordinated sampling plan with environmental team for collection and sampling.
- Practiced preventative maintenance and calibrations on analytical equipments.
Education
Master of Science - Agriculture
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TXBachelor of Science - Agriculture
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TXPost Baccalaureate Initial Certification - Texas Teachers
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TXSkills
- Pollution prevention inspection
- Environmental auditing
- Stormwater management
- Environmental compliance
- Waste management
- Preparing written reports
Timeline
Environmental Specialist II
Westlake Chemical Lake Charles, LA
01.2024 - Current
Chemist II
Westlake Chemical Lake Charles, LA
01.2016 - 01.2024
Senior Chemical Laboratory Technician
Westlake Chemical Lake Charles, LA
01.2012 - 01.2016
Bachelor of Science - Agriculture
Stephen F. Austin State University
Post Baccalaureate Initial Certification - Texas Teachers
Stephen F. Austin State University
Master of Science - Agriculture
Stephen F. Austin State University