Recycling and Reclamation Workers

Highest risk Low pay & highrisk
High Risk
Low High

Explore safer careers (5)

Lower estimated automation risk

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
28% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better
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Why it fits

Reuses hazardous-substance identification, PPE, separation, and safe removal practices with certification.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
24% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
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Why it fits

Uses waste handling, sampling awareness, hazard recognition, and environmental procedures with training.

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
45% automation risk | Moderate Risk
Pays better Higher growth
32.2 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Experienced workers can coordinate crews, safety, sorting quality, and material flow.

Recycling Coordinators
35% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better Higher growth
42 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Uses recycling-stream knowledge, contamination control, facility procedures, and public or vendor coordination.

Environmental Compliance Inspectors
24% automation risk | Low Risk
Pays better
53.2 pts lower View career
Why it fits

Builds on hazardous-waste, recycling rules, documentation, and site inspection knowledge.

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Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
3.4/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

77% (High Risk)

High Risk (61-80%): This occupation shows a significant risk of end-to-end replacement by automation. Many core parts of the role may be structured, repeatable, software-driven, or physically predictable enough for AI, machines, or robotic systems to take over. If you work in this area, it may be worth exploring safer related careers or moving towards more human-centred responsibilities.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Human strengths important in this job

These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.

Coordinating others’ work

Quite important
Why this matters
Bringing people together, assigning tasks, and keeping a group aligned so work gets done.
Jobs that also use this strength

Decision-making and problem solving

Quite important
Why this matters
Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.
Jobs that also use this strength

Education and training expertise

Quite important
Why this matters
Designing and delivering instruction—adapting lessons to different learners and measuring whether training actually works.
Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 10 votes

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Recycling and Reclamation Workers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Pay & outlook

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand was $38,940 ($19 per hour).

The median annual wage for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand was 21.3% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Slow growth relative to other professions.

The number of 'Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand' job openings is expected to rise 1.5% by 2034

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Significantly greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 2,982,530 people employed as 'Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand' within the United States.

This represents around 1.9% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 51 people are employed as 'Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand'.

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Job description

Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.

O*NET-SOC code: 53-7062.04