jobfacts

Refuse and salvage occupations

SOC 2020 9225

Refuse and salvage collectors supervise and undertake the collection and processing of refuse from household, commercial and industrial premises.

Also calledBin workerRefuse collectorWaste operativeRecycling collectorRecycling operativeWaste resources recycling operativeand 41 more titles
Typical full-time pay£27,9002025 Provisional
People in the job31,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month483↑ 4.8%on last year · 270th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time refuse and salvage occupations earn between £25,800 and £31,200 a year.

What full-time refuse and salvage occupations earn, 2025
£27,900 typical£23,800lowest 10%£25,80025%£32,700top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£25,800–£31,200)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£23,800
Lowest 20% earn less than£25,300
25%£25,800
Median£27,900
75%£31,200
Top 20% earn more than£32,700
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £27,900
Scotland£29,200
Wales!£29,200
West Midlands!£28,600
South West!£27,400
London!£27,100
North West!£27,000
North East!£26,600
South East!£26,400
Yorkshire and The Humber!£26,100
East of England!£25,300
East Midlands!£24,900
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £27,900
Scotland£29,200
Wales£29,200 (small sample)
West Midlands£28,600 (small sample)
South West£27,400 (small sample)
London£27,100 (small sample)
North West£27,000 (small sample)
North East£26,600 (small sample)
South East£26,400 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£26,100 (small sample)
East of England£25,300 (small sample)
East Midlands£24,900 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £24,600
  • 2024 £26,300
  • 2025 Provisional£27,900
↑ 13% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 483 jobs for refuse and salvage occupations are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026523
Jul 2026655
Jun 2026Not published
May 2026556
Apr 2026483
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026411
Jan 2026478
Dec 2025177
Nov 2025474
Oct 2025534
Sept 2025536
Aug 2025538
Jul 2025610
Jun 2025563
May 2025579
Apr 2025465
Mar 2025545
Feb 2025457
Jan 2025377
Dec 2024219
Nov 2024396
Oct 2024465
Sept 2024498
Aug 2024563
Jul 2024618
Jun 2024569
May 2024604
Apr 2024493
Mar 2024359
Feb 2024404
Jan 2024427
Dec 2023269
Nov 2023316
Oct 2023352
Sept 2023416
Aug 2023552
Jul 2023489
Jun 2023760
May 2023628
Apr 2023491
Mar 2023623
Feb 2023605
Jan 2023642
Dec 2022569
Nov 2022706
Oct 2022828
Sept 2022776
Aug 2022911
Jul 2022883
Jun 2022805
May 2022827
Apr 2022735
Mar 20221,012
Feb 2022778
Jan 20221,192
Dec 2021688
Nov 2021691
Oct 2021811
Sept 2021916
Aug 2021776
Jul 2021980
Jun 2021825
May 2021642
Apr 2021441
Mar 2021505
Feb 2021318
Jan 2021306
Dec 2020295
Nov 2020409
Oct 2020478
Sept 2020435
Aug 2020391
Jul 2020396
Jun 2020352
May 2020304
Apr 2020350
Mar 2020529
Feb 2020407
Jan 2020346
Dec 2019322
Nov 2019337
Oct 2019483
Sept 2019420
Aug 2019443
Jul 2019532
Jun 2019457
May 2019503
Apr 2019402
Mar 2019391
Feb 2019312
Jan 2019471
Dec 2018296
Nov 2018372
Oct 2018414
Sept 2018515
Aug 2018521
Jul 2018518
Jun 2018540
May 2018455
Apr 2018383
Mar 2018396
Feb 2018367
Jan 2018501
Dec 2017350
Nov 2017479
Oct 2017484
Sept 2017493
Aug 2017508
Jul 2017494
Jun 2017602
May 2017455
Apr 2017468
Mar 2017483
Feb 2017373
Jan 2017407
Is there a shortage of refuse and salvage occupations?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hourly wage, visa density.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
5.4%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for elementary cleaning occupations, which includes refuse and salvage occupations. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London79
West Northamptonshire22
Manchester19
Leicester18
North Northamptonshire17
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole17
Exeter15
Charnwood14
Mid Devon13
North Yorkshire13
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where refuse and salvage occupations are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of refuse and salvage occupations
n/p
23%!
23%!
17%!
28%!
5%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3423% (small sample)
35–4423% (small sample)
45–5417% (small sample)
55–6428% (small sample)
65+5% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!3.9%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent!24%
GCSEs or equivalent!29%
Other qualifications!12%
No qualifications!27%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent3.9% (small sample)
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalent24% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent29% (small sample)
Other qualifications12% (small sample)
No qualifications27% (small sample)

Main employers: treatment and disposal of non-hazardous waste (34%), collection of non-hazardous waste (32%), general public administration activities (9%), remediation activities and other waste management services (6%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
3.9%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 29%
Apprenticeships
1
from level 2
Apprenticeships take
1 year
typically

Routes in

Bin worker

You can get into this job through:

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Waste Resource Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship typically takes a year to complete and is a mix of training on the job and off-site learning.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

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

Apply directly

You can apply directly to job vacancies through your local council, employment agencies and waste management companies.

Employers set their own entry requirements but you'll be expected to be physically fit and a good timekeeper.

What you’ll need

  • be over 18 years of age

You'll need a large goods vehicle (LGV) licence to apply for jobs that include driving the bin collection lorry.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Shift allowances, overtime and driving duties can increase take home pay.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in waste collection and recycling from the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for bin worker. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Recycling operative

You can get into this job through:

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

Apply directly

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.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

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

Further information

You can find out more about careers in recycling from Energy & Utilities Careers & Jobs and the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for recycling operative. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

1 for this job

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • rides in or on refuse vehicle and alights to pick up domestic refuse
  • carries waste material in dustbins or other containers from premises to refuse vehicle
  • empties refuse into vehicle manually or using an electronic tipping device
  • returns dustbins or other containers to premises
  • collects scrap metal, salvage, paper and other recyclable material from domestic and industrial premises, and sorts material in preparation for recycling
  • attends the operation of refuse tips, supervises the use of public refuse disposal facilities, and compacts and covers up refuse at landfill sites

Skills

  • assess waste type
  • dispose waste
  • ensure compliance with waste legislative regulations
  • handle chemical cleaning agents
  • operate recycling processing equipment
  • sort waste
  • use personal protection equipment
  • assess contamination
  • avoid contamination
  • dispose of hazardous waste
  • dispose of non-hazardous waste
  • drain hazardous liquids
  • maintain recycling records
  • maintain sorting equipment

Knowledge

  • health, safety and hygiene legislation
  • waste and scrap products
  • waste management
  • electricity
  • electronics principles
  • hazardous waste storage
  • pollution prevention

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for elementary administration and service occupations, a group of 26 jobs that includes refuse and salvage occupations.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 1.5%about 48,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 20351.5 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.