Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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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.
Table of contents
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.
Freedom to make decisions
How much decision making freedom does this job offer?
Structured vs unstructured work
To what extent is this job structured for you versus allowing you to determine your own tasks, priorities, and goals?
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What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
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
Average hourly wage
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 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
Work with group or team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Deal with external customers
How important is it to work with customers in this job?
Manage or lead others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in completing work activities in this job?
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Frequency of conflict situations
How often are there conflict situations in this job?
Dealing with angry people
How often do you have to deal with angry, unpleasant, or discourteous individuals in this job?
Dealing with physically aggressive people
How often do you have to deal with physically aggressive people in this job?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
Repetition in this job
How important is repeating the same type of task over and over in this job?
Impact of decisions on co-workers or company results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Frequency of decision making
How frequently do you have to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the reputation of the company?
Responsibility for others’ health and safety
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
Responsibility for outcomes and results
How much responsibility is there for the work outcomes and results of other workers?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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