What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in the U.S. earn more than $49,690 a year — the middle 80% land between $33,590 and $75,900. About 147,240 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Plant and machine operators and assemblers earn about ₹17,329 a month on average — around ₹2.1 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$49,690typical pay / year
147,240people in this work
$75,900+top 10% earn
₹2.1 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Fixing1
Inspect trucks for safe operation
+Walk a pre-shift safety walkaround on truck 42, check brakes, lights, hydraulic hoses, and tailgate locks,…
Inspect trucks for safe operation
+Walk a pre-shift safety walkaround on truck 42, check brakes, lights, hydraulic hoses, and tailgate locks, note any faults on the checklist and flag unsafe trucks so they are not used on the route.
The tools that do the workComputerized maintenance management system CMMSjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Keeping the record1
Fill out defective equipment reports
+Complete a defective equipment report for truck 42 describing the brake squeal and leaking hydraulic line,…
Fill out defective equipment reports
+Complete a defective equipment report for truck 42 describing the brake squeal and leaking hydraulic line, attach photos, set priority as urgent, and submit to maintenance before the end of shift so repairs can be scheduled.
The tools that do the workDossierjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Move2
Lift garbage cans by hand
+Collect curbside bags and lift 120‑litre cans by hand using correct posture and gloves, team‑lift any…
Lift garbage cans by hand
+Collect curbside bags and lift 120‑litre cans by hand using correct posture and gloves, team‑lift any overweight bins, record any damaged cans and customer complaints before the end of shift.
The tools that do the workWAMjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Operate collection equipment and tools
+Operate the rear loader controls and handheld picker to empty communal bins, secure loose rubbish, swap to…
Operate collection equipment and tools
+Operate the rear loader controls and handheld picker to empty communal bins, secure loose rubbish, swap to hand tools for compacted loads, and log any tool faults after the route so they can be serviced.
The tools that do the workSqueegeejob descriptionsWikipedia
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Protecting1
Refuel trucks and add fluids
+Top up diesel and engine oil for truck 42 at the depot fuel point, check and record fluid levels and filter…
Refuel trucks and add fluids
+Top up diesel and engine oil for truck 42 at the depot fuel point, check and record fluid levels and filter condition on the log, note any contamination and hand the keys to the foreman when done.
The tools that do the workFleet managementComputerized maintenance management system CMMSjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Types of waste collection vehicles
+List every type of waste collection vehicle we operate at the North Depot, explain what each carries and its…
Types of waste collection vehicles
+List every type of waste collection vehicle we operate at the North Depot, explain what each carries and its lifting mechanism, and flag which crews and PPE are required for routine checks and daily logging by Friday morning.
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Waste transport legislation
+Summarise the transport legislation that applies to our mixed municipal loads leaving the North Depot,…
Waste transport legislation
+Summarise the transport legislation that applies to our mixed municipal loads leaving the North Depot, highlight driver duties, load securing, required paperwork at checkpoints, and the noncompliance penalties to include on the crew briefing sheet for Monday.
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Communicate with dispatchers about delays or issues
+Tell dispatch Sara and supervisor Miguel I’m held at 18th and Pine with a jammed lift, describe the blockage,…
Communicate with dispatchers about delays or issues
+Tell dispatch Sara and supervisor Miguel I’m held at 18th and Pine with a jammed lift, describe the blockage, report expected 20 minute delay, request a replacement crew if it looks like over an hour.
The tools that do the workFleet managementjob descriptionsO*NET
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Follow scheduled routes through residential or industrial areas
+Run today’s residential route down Maple, Oak and Cedar as listed, stop at every bin pair, skip locked alleys…
Follow scheduled routes through residential or industrial areas
+Run today’s residential route down Maple, Oak and Cedar as listed, stop at every bin pair, skip locked alleys and note missed stops with exact house numbers, call dispatch if blocked or unsafe.
The tools that do the workRoutewareGPSjob descriptions
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Follow safety protocols during collection
+Complete the daily collection shifting procedure: wear gloves, high-visibility vest and face shield,…
Follow safety protocols during collection
+Complete the daily collection shifting procedure: wear gloves, high-visibility vest and face shield, spot-check lids before lifting, tag any unsafe bins, log hazards and call safety officer Anna for any injury.
The tools that do the workWAMWikipedia
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Ensure proper handling of hazardous waste
+If you encounter household chemicals or unknown drums, stop work, cordon the area, photograph labels, log the…
Ensure proper handling of hazardous waste
+If you encounter household chemicals or unknown drums, stop work, cordon the area, photograph labels, log the item as hazardous in the incident system, notify the hazardous waste coordinator, and await instructions before resuming.
The tools that do the workDossierWikipedia
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Adhere to environmental regulations and standards
+Track and record all loads against disposal codes today, separate recyclables and organics at the transfer…
Adhere to environmental regulations and standards
+Track and record all loads against disposal codes today, separate recyclables and organics at the transfer station, note any spills or overfills, and upload the compliance log to environmental team by 5pm.
The tools that do the workAMCSWikipedia
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Maintain waste collection records
+Update today's collection log with start and finish times, route ID 14, loads emptied, missed bins and…
Maintain waste collection records
+Update today's collection log with start and finish times, route ID 14, loads emptied, missed bins and reason, and upload scanned disposal tickets for the transfer station before I leave the depot at 18:00.
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Waste management
+Record the street-by-street pickups for Zone B including volumes by bin type, contamination incidents, and…
Waste management
+Record the street-by-street pickups for Zone B including volumes by bin type, contamination incidents, and any hazardous finds, then schedule bulk collection for Oak Street on Thursday morning.
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Waste and scrap products
+Compile today's salvageable scrap tally from the metal and cardboard skips, note locations and weights, flag…
Waste and scrap products
+Compile today's salvageable scrap tally from the metal and cardboard skips, note locations and weights, flag contaminated loads, and send the collection summary to recycling coordinator Maria by 16:30.
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Use personal protection equipment
+Log my PPE check for the shift listing gloves, hi-vis vest, steel-toe boots, respirator fit check and any…
Use personal protection equipment
+Log my PPE check for the shift listing gloves, hi-vis vest, steel-toe boots, respirator fit check and any defects; book replacements for torn gloves and a missing hard hat before tomorrow's start time.
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Drive waste collection vehicle
+Drive the 8:00 round on Truck 7 for Route 21, follow the planned stops, record any mechanical issues or…
Drive waste collection vehicle
+Drive the 8:00 round on Truck 7 for Route 21, follow the planned stops, record any mechanical issues or safety incidents in the vehicle diary, and confirm arrival back at depot by 12:30.
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Adhere to transportation work schedule
+Stick to the published timetable for Route 9 today, note any missed or delayed collections with reason,…
Adhere to transportation work schedule
+Stick to the published timetable for Route 9 today, note any missed or delayed collections with reason, update estimated completion time to dispatch if behind schedule, and log start and end times at depot.
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Global positioning
+Update the truck run sheet for Route 12, record bin collections and vehicle idling, reconcile missed stops,…
Global positioning
+Update the truck run sheet for Route 12, record bin collections and vehicle idling, reconcile missed stops, and append the global positioning log from yesterday's shift so dispatch can reroute pickups tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workFleet managementGlobal positioning system GPSO*NET
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Global positioning
+Run the evening collection route checklist, capture global positioning for the missed bin on Hargreaves…
Global positioning
+Run the evening collection route checklist, capture global positioning for the missed bin on Hargreaves Avenue, record the load weight and crew, and append the exception to the truck maintenance and route record.
The tools that do the workRoutewareO*NET
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Says who?
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Activities this job lives in
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Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses