Recycling operative

Recycling operatives collect, sort and recycle materials like glass, metal, paper and plastics from homes and businesses.

Also known as: Waste resources recycling operative, recycling centre worker

• Starter salary£23,000 a year
• Experienced£30,000 a year
• Typical hours40 to 45 a week
• Green jobYes

What you'll do

As a recycling operative, you could:

• load and unload recycling collection vehicles
• weigh and record waste and scrap metal collections
• use lifting machinery to help move and sort waste
• separate materials on a moving conveyor at a recycling plant
• remove non-recyclable or flammable items
• shred metal scrap using hydraulic cutting machines
• grade and sort metal, by hand or machine
• drive a collection vehicle if you're licensed to do so
• identify and report illegal or hazardous waste
• operate a forklift truck or crane to stack baled materials

Working environment

You could work at a waste recycling site or from a vehicle.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time, dirty and physically demanding.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Skills and knowledge you'll need

You'll need:

• the ability to work well with others
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to operate and control equipment
• to be flexible and open to change
• the ability to work well with your hands
• knowledge of public safety and security
• knowledge of recycling processes
• observation and recording skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

How to become a recycling operative

You can get into this job through:

• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

Apprenticeship

You can apply to do a Metal Recycling General Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

This takes around 1 year to complete and combines on-the-job training and time spent with a learning provider.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Direct application

You do not need any particular qualifications to apply for jobs although GCSEs in English and maths can be useful.

You may have an advantage if you've had forklift truck or telehandler training, or can drive a large goods vehicle.

Career path and progression

With experience and further training, you could move into a supervisory or management role at a waste collection site.

You could also work as a weighbridge operator, a HGV or forklift driver, or move into health and safety.

Career tips

An employer will usually offer you training on the job, for example to get your large goods vehicle licence.

Guides for this industry

• Environmental Sciences: pay, interviews and getting started →

Related roles

• Job roleRecycling engagement officer
• Job roleWarehouse worker
• Job roleBin worker
• Job roleHGV driver
• Job roleForklift driver

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