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Recycling and Reclamation Workers: Career Profile
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
What Tasks Do Recycling and Reclamation Workers Do?
The core tasks performed by recycling and reclamation workers include:
- Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
- Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.
- Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities.
- Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.
- Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders.
What Recycling and Reclamation Workers Need to Know
Effective recycling and reclamation workers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Auto Dismantler
- Bobcat Driver
- Box Sorter
- Computer Recycling Worker
- Convenience Recycle Center Technician (Convenience Recycle Center Tech)
- Deconstruction and Decontamination Waste Operations Specialist (D and D Waste Operations Specialist)
- Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Worker
- Materials Sorter
How Many Recycling and Reclamation Workers Are There?
There are about 1,074,938 recycling and reclamation workers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +14.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Recycling and Reclamation Workers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $61,426 |
| Hourly median | $29.53 |
| 10th percentile | $40,205 |
| 25th percentile | $50,816 |
| 75th percentile | $72,036 |
| 90th percentile | $82,647 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $45,850 |
| Alaska | $45,720 |
| Minnesota | $45,440 |
| Colorado | $45,210 |
| District of Columbia | $45,140 |
| Massachusetts | $45,070 |
| North Dakota | $44,630 |
| Hawaii | $44,050 |
| New York | $43,660 |
| Iowa | $43,370 |
| Oregon | $43,110 |
| California | $42,660 |
| Wisconsin | $42,290 |
| Kentucky | $41,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,170 |
| Montana | $40,810 |
| Nebraska | $40,640 |
| Vermont | $40,480 |
| Maryland | $40,240 |
| Connecticut | $40,170 |
| Maine | $40,080 |
| Kansas | $39,960 |
| Illinois | $39,840 |
| Indiana | $39,820 |
| Rhode Island | $39,820 |
| Utah | $39,570 |
| New Hampshire | $39,290 |
| Virginia | $39,240 |
| Arizona | $39,160 |
| New Jersey | $39,050 |
| Ohio | $38,990 |
| Michigan | $38,850 |
| Nevada | $38,420 |
| Delaware | $38,330 |
| Idaho | $38,270 |
| Wyoming | $38,210 |
| Missouri | $37,950 |
| Tennessee | $37,910 |
| South Dakota | $37,280 |
| South Carolina | $37,190 |
| Georgia | $37,030 |
| Texas | $37,010 |
| New Mexico | $37,000 |
| Florida | $36,980 |
| Oklahoma | $36,260 |
| North Carolina | $36,080 |
| West Virginia | $35,990 |
| Mississippi | $35,920 |
| Alabama | $35,780 |
| Arkansas | $35,090 |
| Louisiana | $33,330 |
| Virgin Islands | $32,890 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,210 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for recycling and reclamation workers differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $42,600 | 17.6% | 1.11 |
| New England | $42,093 | 2.9% | 0.63 |
| Plains States | $41,871 | 6.4% | 0.94 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,351 | 2.9% | 0.79 |
| Middle Atlantic | $41,095 | 12.9% | 0.98 |
| Great Lakes | $39,883 | 17.7% | 1.32 |
| Southwest | $37,373 | 11.7% | 0.96 |
| Southeast | $37,142 | 27.6% | 1.21 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Recycling and Reclamation Workers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, WI | WI | $48,480 | 5,100 |
| Topeka, KS | KS | $48,250 | 1,970 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $48,220 | 33,130 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $47,660 | 29,400 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | VA | $47,350 | 1,620 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $46,800 | 8,290 |
| Syracuse, NY | NY | $46,680 | 5,750 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $46,580 | 1,030 |
Top Industries Employing Recycling and Reclamation Workers
The largest employers of recycling and reclamation workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 997,400 | $43,190 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 535,240 | $35,780 |
| Wholesale Trade | 408,770 | $39,990 |
| Manufacturing | 406,630 | $41,260 |
| Retail Trade | 332,400 | $36,150 |
| Construction | 47,590 | $43,760 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 41,250 | $39,180 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 40,250 | $42,330 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Recycling and Reclamation Workers Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for recycling and reclamation workers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Spend Time Standing
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How to Become Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Most recycling and reclamation workers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (Primary-Short)
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (Supplemental)
- Helpers–Extraction Workers (Primary-Long)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (Supplemental)
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers (Supplemental)
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators (Supplemental)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-7062.04 (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand).
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