NorthStar

Occupations/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.

High school

Usually a high school diploma, plus some experience or short training.

AI automation risk

37%

More resilient

Human characteristics

40%

Balanced human and task mix

Task orientation

45%

Mixed exposure

A day in this job

  • Mostly routine

    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.

  • Mostly routine

    Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.

  • Mostly routine

    Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.

The tasks we can read here lean routine. That sits next to the AI risk rank — it is not a forecast that the job disappears.

Core tasks

  1. 01Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
  2. 02Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.
  3. 03Operate 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. 04Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.
  5. 05Clean, 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.

Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)

  • Repeating same tasks2.63
  • Degree of automation2.07
  • Time sitting1.85
  • Originality (ability)2.00
  • Conflict situations2.11
  • Hands-on objects/tools4.24
  • Outdoors / weather4.32
  • Disease exposure1.91
  • Decision freedom3.51

Top abilities

  • Manual Dexterity3.75
  • Control Precision3.62
  • Near Vision3.50
  • Multilimb Coordination3.50
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.50
  • Trunk Strength3.25
  • Finger Dexterity3.25
  • Category Flexibility3.25

Essential skills

  • Reading Comprehension2.62
  • Active Listening3.12
  • Writing2.38
  • Speaking2.75
  • Mathematics1.88
  • Science1.12
  • Critical Thinking2.75
  • Active Learning2.50
  • Learning Strategies2.00
  • Monitoring3.12

CIP matches

99.9999NO MATCH

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