Description
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Self-Control
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
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.
Work Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Getting Information
Detailed Work Activities
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Word processing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
Abilities
- Manual Dexterity
- Control Precision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Multilimb Coordination
- Near Vision
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
Knowledge
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Hazardous Materials PractitionerCertifying Organization
Institute of Hazardous Materials Management
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $34,214 |
| Median (50%) | $38,141 |
| High (90%) | $43,517 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | N/A |
| Mid Level | N/A |
| Senior Level | N/A |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 3,004,800 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 3,130,600 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 4%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 4%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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