Transportation & Logistics
Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Also called: Bobcat Driver, Box Sorter, Convenience Recycle Center Technician (Convenience Recycle Center Tech), Deconstruction and Decontamination Waste Operations Specialist (D and D Waste Operations Specialist)
US median pay
$40,240
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+1.8%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
340,500
2,940,300 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.
- Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.
- Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.
- Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.
- Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operation and Control3.2/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.8/5
- Time Management2.6/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.6/5
- Coordination2.6/5
- Troubleshooting2.5/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.9/5
- Mechanical3.5/5
- Administration and Management3.5/5
- Public Safety and Security3.5/5
- Education and Training3.4/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.2/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma74%
- Associate's degree15%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.