Manufacturing career directory
Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
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), Non-Ferrous Material Handler, Sort Line Worker, Sorter, Transfer Station Operator, Auto Dismantler, Computer Recycling Worker, Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Worker, Materials Sorter, Pallet Sorter, Reclamation Worker, Recyclable Materials Sorter, Recycling and Reclamation Worker, Recycling Sorter, Recycling Technician, Recycling Worker, Refuse and Recycling Worker, Refuse Laborer, Scrap Metal Processing Worker, Shredding Specialist, Waste Management Recycling Technician
This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.
What the worker does
- 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.
Skills, machines and equipment
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Time Management
Education and training
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (74.12% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships
Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.
Salary reference
36,090–46,920 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 53-7062.
Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.
Career advancement
- Develop inventory, scheduling, planning, and supply-chain analysis experience; explore coordinator, planner, or logistics-lead responsibilities.
- Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.
How Do I Get This Job?
- Review the skills and responsibilities above.
- Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (74.12% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
- Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.
View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.
Related career information
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Sources and limitations
O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.