Trash Collectors

Career summary

Trash collectors drive a regularly scheduled route for picking up waste materials. They gather trash and recyclables from homes, schools, and businesses.

Trash collectors lift and empty small garbage cans by hand. They operate lifts to pick up and empty dumpsters and heavy cans. They unload these materials at dumps.

Some trash collectors work alone and drive the truck as well as pick up garbage.

Other collectors pick up recyclable materials, such as glass bottles and newspapers. They sort these items and put them in the proper bins on the trucks.

They transport these materials to processing centers. They make special pickups of certain recyclable items. These include:

• Computers
• Containers of used oil
• Old paint

Related careers

This career is part of the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Freight Handlers
• Heavy Truck Drivers
• Light Truck Drivers
• Material Moving Machine Operators
• Route Salespeople
• School Bus Drivers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to trash collectors.

• Inspect trucks before operating to ensure safety.
• Refuel trucks and check fluids, such as oil.
• Transport garbage to dump and recyclables to processing centers.
• Drive trucks along specific routes.
• Fill out reports when maintenance is needed.
• Control hydraulic truck lifts to pick up heavy containers of trash.
• Lift and empty garbage cans and recycling bins by hand.
• Communicate with dispatchers.
• Keep informed of road and weather conditions.
• Tag garbage or recycling containers to inform customers of problems.
• Sort items set out for recycling.
• Clean trucks after routes.
• Organize schedules for garbage collection.
• Provide quotes for garbage collection contracts.
• Make special pickups of recyclable materials like electronics or used oil.

Common work activities

Trash collectors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Operate vehicles or mechanized equipment
• Control machines and processes
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Handle and move objects
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Repair and maintain mechanical equipment
• Perform for or work with the public
• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Repair and maintain electronic equipment
• Think creatively

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, trash collectors:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a very medium level of job-related social interaction.
• Are responsible for others health and safety.
• Sometimes deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous customers.
• Communicate with coworkers and customers daily by telephone. They may also interact in person, but far less frequently.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work outdoors.
• Always wear protective attire, such as gloves.
• Are exposed to contaminants on a daily basis.
• Are always exposed to distracting and uncomfortable noise levels.
• Are often exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures while working outside. May work in varying lighting conditions depending on weather.
• Are often exposed to hazardous equipment.
• Are often exposed to hazardous situations that may produce cuts or minor burns.
• Often are exposed to diseases and infections.
• Work in enclosed equipment, such as a truck, on a daily basis.
• Work with other people, but are usually many feet apart from them.

Work performance

• Must be very exact in their work. Errors could cost the company money.
• Repeat the same physical activities.
• Must keep pace with the speed of equipment.
• Make decisions on a daily basis that strongly impact customers. They are able to make most decisions without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set some tasks and goals for the day without talking to a supervisor.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a weekly basis.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• Usually work more than 40 hours a week.
• Usually start work at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m.

Physical demands

Trash collectors frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Repeat the same movements.
• Sit for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.

It is important for trash collectors to be able to:

• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for trash collectors to be able to:

• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• See objects in very bright or glaring light.
• See objects in very low light.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• While looking forward, see objects or movements that are off to the side.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Determine from which direction a sound came.

Skills and abilities

Trash collectors need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Work with things

• Operate and control equipment.
• Watch gauges, dials, and output to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Maintain equipment on a routine basis. Determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Truck and Bus Driving

Other programs of study to consider

• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Heavy Equipment Operations

Training

To work as a trash collector, you typically need to:

• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

No formal education is required for this job. However, many employers prefer that you have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Trash collectors who drive heavy trucks often need a commercial driver's license. Some states require you to complete a basic truck-driving training program. This often is a requirement for a commercial driver's license. These programs usually take a few months to complete.

On-the-job training

Trash collectors learn their skills on the job. You usually work with an experienced collector who teaches you the job. Training generally lasts up to three months.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements . You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Diesel Mechanics and Repair
• Driver Education
• Introduction to Mechanics
• Physical Education

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Some employers require trash collectors to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Most employers require trash collectors to be 18 years old and physically fit. They also require drivers to have a clean driving record. Trash collectors may have to pass a civil service test in order to work for a town or city.

Employers look for trash collectors who are dependable and hardworking.

Some companies require collectors to be at least 25 years old. Other employers require that workers be able to read and write English. Employers prefer workers who work well with the public.

Tips

Employers look for applicants who are flexible regarding shifts and what type of work is done. They also look for customer service skills and the desire to advance and take on new challenges.

Costs to workers

New employees may be required to join a union and pay an initiation fee and quarterly dues.

Licensing/certification

In Washington, trash collectors who drive trucks with a gross weight of 26,001 pounds or more must have a commercial driver's license. Trash collectors who drive trucks that pick up hazardous wastes must have a special endorsement in addition to their license. State and federal laws require drivers to pass a complete physical exam every two years and carry a card signed by their doctor. Drivers must also pay a testing and licensing fee.

Information about Washington State requirements for commercial drivers can be obtained by calling a local driver's license examining station or by visiting the Department of Licensing  web page.

#2/18/20

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by area of the country and the collector's duties.

Full-time trash collectors usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include paid vacation, health insurance, and sick leave. Some employers also offer a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

In Washington, growth in the state's population will increase the need for sanitary services and create jobs for trash collectors. However, a shrinking market for and the increasing cost of recycling waste materials may reduce the curbside collection of recyclable items. This may impact job growth related to this aspect of waste collection and sorting.

#Comments on recycling based on impact of China's decision in 2018 (National Sword initiative) to refuse to take recyclable materials from the West, 3/11/19 cj.

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Local government agencies (sanitation department)
• Trash collection companies
• Temporary worker agencies
• Waste treatment and disposal companies

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is steady. As the population grows, more waste will be created. Some of this will be recycled and some will be trash. Collectors will be needed to pick up both items. Limiting growth is that companies have distributed trash cans with special handles. These cans can be lifted by a mechanical arm on a truck instead of by the trash collector. Collectors can work much faster on routes that have these cans.

Job openings will also be available as current workers retire or switch jobs.

Other resources

International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO 
25 Louisiana Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.624.6800

Washington Business Week 
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545

Washington Refuse and Recycling Association 
4160 - 6th Avenue SE, Suite 205
Lacey, WA 98503
360.943.8859

References

Career cluster

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors (53-7081.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

• Garbage Collector (955.687-022) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Realistic/Conventional/Enterprising

COPSystem

• Service Skilled