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Occupation AtlasRecycling and Reclamation Workers

O*NET · 53-7062.04

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 Auto Dismantler · Bobcat Driver · Box Sorter · Computer Recycling Worker · Convenience Recycle Center Tech · Convenience Recycle Center Technician (Convenience Recycle Center Tech) · D and D Waste Operations Specialist · Deconstruction and Decontamination Waste Operations Specialist (D and D Waste Operations Specialist)
18 more

Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Worker · Materials Sorter · Non-Ferrous Material Handler · 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 · Sort Line Worker · Sorter · Transfer Station Operator · Waste Management Recycling Technician

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.28
  • C Conventional4.39
  • I Investigative2.04
  • E Enterprising1.59
  • S Social1.28
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma2%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent74%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate2%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree15%
  • Doctoral Degree8%
Related work experience
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (30%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (30%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (36%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operation and Control3.32.8Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Active Listeningbasic3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Monitoringbasic3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Operations Monitoring3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Speakingbasic2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Quality Control Analysis2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Social Perceptiveness2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Time Management2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Coordination2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
Show the other 23
  • Troubleshooting2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Active Learningbasic2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Service Orientation2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Equipment Maintenance2.42.6Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Writingbasic2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Complex Problem Solving2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Repairing2.32.4Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Equipment Selection2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Instructing2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Persuasion2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Mathematicsbasic1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Negotiation1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Systems Analysis1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Management of Material Resources1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.50.8
  • Management of Financial Resources1.50.6
  • Operations Analysis1.3—
  • Sciencebasic1.1—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Programming1.0—

Tasks

5 core · 9 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.4.3
  2. Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.4.1
  3. 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.4.0
  4. Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.4.0
  5. 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.3.8
Show the other 9
  1. Collect and sort recyclable construction materials, such as concrete, drywall, plastics, or wood, into containers.4.3
  2. Extract chemicals from discarded appliances, such as air conditioners or refrigerators, using specialized machinery, such as refrigerant recovery equipment.4.2
  3. Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.4.2
  4. Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.4.1
  5. Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.4.0
  6. Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products.3.9
  7. Operate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials.3.8
  8. Collect recyclable materials from curbside for delivery to designated facilities.3.6
  9. Operate automated refuse or manual recycling collection vehicles.3.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Production and Processing3.94.8Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Administration and Management3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Mechanical3.54.0Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Public Safety and Security3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Education and Training3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Customer and Personal Service3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.13.7Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Personnel and Human Resources3.02.7
Show all 33
  • Sales and Marketing3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Introduce clients to a new line of products
  • Administrative2.62.6
  • Engineering and Technology2.62.8
  • Mathematics2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Transportation2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Psychology2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Law and Government2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Computers and Electronics2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Physics2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Telecommunications2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Building and Construction1.91.9Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Chemistry1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Communications and Media1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Economics and Accounting1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Design1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Geography1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Therapy and Counseling1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Biology1.4—
  • Foreign Language1.40.7Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • History and Archeology1.4—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Fine Arts1.3—
  • Food Production1.3—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Manual Dexterity3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Control Precision3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Multilimb Coordination3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Near Vision3.53.4Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Category Flexibility3.33.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Finger Dexterity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Trunk Strength3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
Show all 52
  • Flexibility of Closure3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Information Ordering3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Perceptual Speed3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Rate Control3.12.9
  • Reaction Time3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Selective Attention3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Depth Perception3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Far Vision3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Speed of Limb Movement3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Problem Sensitivity2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Response Orientation2.92.8Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speech Recognition2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Static Strength2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.92.6
  • Speech Clarity2.82.6
  • Written Comprehension2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Written Expression2.82.6
  • Deductive Reasoning2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Extent Flexibility2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Inductive Reasoning2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Stamina2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Time Sharing2.62.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Gross Body Coordination2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Auditory Attention2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Speed of Closure2.42.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Visualization2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Dynamic Strength2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Fluency of Ideas2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Peripheral Vision2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Spatial Orientation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Glare Sensitivity2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Memorization2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Night Vision2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Originality2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Mathematical Reasoning1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Sound Localization1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.4—
  • Explosive Strength1.1—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.44.4Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.24.4Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.15.2Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.13.6Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Getting Information3.93.7Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.63.7Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
Show all 41
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.53.0Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Training and Teaching Others3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Developing and Building Teams3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Processing Information3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.92.9
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Review forms for completeness
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.72.8
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.73.4Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Thinking Creatively2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.42.9
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.32.5Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Working with Computers2.32.4Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Exchange greetings with a coworker
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.9
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.4
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.3
  • Spend Time Standing4.3
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.2
  • Contact With Others4.0
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.0
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams3.9
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures3.8
  • Outdoors, Under Cover3.7

Technology

4 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (3)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (1)
  • Work scheduling software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Recycling Coordinators
  2. Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
  3. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
  4. Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
  5. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
  6. Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
  7. Machine Feeders and Offbearers
  8. Helpers--Extraction Workers
  9. Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  10. Helpers--Production Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.