Annual Salary
£13,000 to £24,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors or go to green jobs
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors or go to green jobs
Recycling operatives collect, sort and recycle materials like glass, paper and plastics from homes and businesses.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: early mornings;
There will be
0.3% more Recycling operative jobs in 2027.
In your day-to-day tasks you may:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work at a waste recycling site or from a vehicle.
Your working environment may be dirty, physically demanding and outdoors in all weathers.
You can get into this job through:
You can do an intermediate apprenticeship as a waste resource operative.
You'll usually need:
You can apply to companies directly if you've got relevant skills and experience, for example from working in waste collection.
You may have an advantage if you've had forklift truck training or can drive a large goods vehicle.
An employer may give you training on the job, for example to get your large goods vehicle licence.
You can find out more about becoming a recycling operative from Energy & Utilities jobs and the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management.
With qualifications and experience you could move into a supervisory role at a waste collection site.
Recycling Operatives are needed to collect and sort recyclable materials from homes and business premises across the West of England region.
Click here to search for a local apprenticeship
Click here for an explanation of the different course and apprenticeship levels.
For more local employment opportunities see the 'Live job vacancies by region' section above.
You'll need: