Refuse Collector

Print

Work Tasks

• Pick up trash along a route, including cans and bottles to be recycled
• Dump trash from cans into the truck
• Use trucks with lifts to pick up dumpsters
• Take the trash to a dump, landfill, or recycling center
• Work outside in the streets of towns and cities
• Work with trash, trash bins, cans, recyclables, trucks with and without lifts, uniforms, gloves, and steel-toed shoes

Salary, Size & Growth

• $41,000 average per year ($19.75 per hour)
• A medium occupation (126,400 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.8% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training; able to do heavy work and be reliable
• Employers Prefer: A high school diploma and able to read, write, and speak English
• Skills/Courses: Need to know how to handle hazardous materials safely
• Certification/Licensing: May need a commercial driver's license.