Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Under the title Recycling and Reclamation Workers, workers prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on operation and control, operations monitoring, and monitoring. A regular part of the work is to sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling. Interest ratings put Realistic on top at 6.3 out of 7 and Conventional second, so the code is RCI and the day leans toward hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.
What they do
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
Main tasks
- 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
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Quality Control Analysis
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on operation and control and operations monitoring.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
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
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.