As of June 2026, Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors has an AI-exposure score of 43/100 (Moderate exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
More exposed than 17% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$49,690. About 16,900 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Transportation roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
- Organize schedules for refuse collection.
- Tag garbage or recycling containers to inform customers of problems, such as excess garbage or inclusion of items that are not permitted.
- Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas.
- Fill out defective equipment reports.
- Communicate with dispatchers concerning delays, unsafe sites, accidents, equipment breakdowns, or other maintenance problems.
- Operate equipment that compresses collected refuse.
- Refuel trucks or add other fluids, such as oil or brake fluid.
- Make special pickups of recyclable materials, such as food scraps, used oil, discarded computers, or other electronic items.
- Clean trucks or compactor bodies after routes have been completed.
- Operate automated or semi-automated hoisting devices that raise refuse bins and dump contents into openings in truck bodies.
- Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.
- Dismount garbage trucks to collect garbage and remount trucks to ride to the next collection point.
- Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.
- Check road or weather conditions to determine how routes will be affected.
Safer adjacent roles
Your AI-Safe Career Report
Every task scored with what to do about it · 5–10 safer roles with salary, demand & reachability · skill-gap map · a 30/60/90-day roadmap · plus a résumé & LinkedIn rewrite · PDF.
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