What Do Recycling And Reclamation Workers Do

Stan T.Career, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Recycling And Reclamation Workers

Recycling And Reclamation Workers prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.

Salary
$35620
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match


What they do

Recycling And Reclamation Workers prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.

  • Operate shredders to reclaim steel from discarded appliances.
  • Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.
  • Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper, or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
  • Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Recycling and Reclamation Workers remove copper from circuit boards. They collect recyclable materials from the curbside for delivery to designated facilities.

A typical day for a Recycling and Reclamation Worker will also include:

  • Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper, or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
  • Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products.
  • Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.
  • Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris or moving barrels and bins.
  • Cut discarded products, such as appliances and automobiles, into small pieces using saws, blowtorches, or other hand or power tools.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Recycling and Reclamation Workers also dismantle wrecked vehicles by removing parts and labeling and sorting parts into containers. They may also clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Recycling and Reclamation Workers 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. They might also cut discarded products, such as appliances and automobiles, into small pieces using saws, blowtorches, or other hand or power tools.

In addition, they collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.

To some Recycling and Reclamation Workers, it is also their responsibility to clean the recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Low

Is this job meaningful

Low

61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.

This career is perfect for people who love to work outdoors.

It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).

How much do they make

Average salary

$35620 per year

Average hourly wage

$17 per hour

Entry-level Recycling And Reclamation Workers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $21,380 to $25,810 per year or $10 to $12 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $54,660 $26
Senior (Top 25%) $41,100 $20
Median $31,420 $15
Junior (Bottom 25%) $25,810 $12
No experience (Bottom 10%) $21,380 $10

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
2%

40 hours
29%

More than 40 hours
69%

Working schedule

80%

20%

0%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
0%

Every day
2%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
28%

Every day
23%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
34%

Every day
47%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
62%

Once a year
15%

Once a month
10%

Once a week
5%

Every day
7%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
13%

Slightly competitive
38%

Moderately competitive
18%

Highly competitive
22%

Extremely competitive
10%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
69%

Once a year or more
9%

Once a month or more
1%

Once a week or more
10%

Every day
10%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
30%

Once a year or more
4%

Once a month or more
10%

Once a week or more
7%

Every day
49%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
9%

Once a year or more
1%

Once a month or more
8%

Once a week or more
11%

Every day
70%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
20%

Once a year or more
5%

Once a month or more
9%

Once a week or more
15%

Every day
50%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
2%

High School Diploma or equivalent
74%

Post-Secondary Certificate
1%

Some College Courses
0%

Associate’s Degree or similar
15%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
8%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
26%

1 month
0%

1 to 3 months
20%

3 to 6 months
21%

6 months to 1 year
30%

1 to 2 years
2%

2 to 4 years
1%

4 to 6 years
0%

6 to 8 years
0%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
14%

1 month
36%

1 to 3 months
22%

3 to 6 months
16%

6 months to 1 year
9%

1 to 2 years
4%

2 to 4 years
0%

4 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
95%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
19%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
19%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
19%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
24%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
95%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
38%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
43%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
33%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
43%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
52%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
33%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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