Recycling and Reclamation Workers
Machines can already do 28% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 71%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Recycling and Reclamation Workers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 28% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 71% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 2,950,280 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $40,240 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 60% for contact with people.
- Also called: Bobcat Driver, Box Sorter, Convenience Recycle Center Technician (Convenience Recycle Center Tech), Deconstruction and Decontamination Waste Operations Specialist (D and D Waste Operations Specialist).
- Competency here means how well the best AI model, tool or robot available can do a task, scored out of 100: today using the best available now, and for later years the 311 prediction of what AI and robots will be able to do.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling | 36% | 30% to 75% | |
| Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities | 9% | 30% to 75% | |
| Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins | 8% | 30% to 75% | |
| Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling | 8% | 30% to 75% | |
| Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts | 8% | 30% to 75% | |
| Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders | 5% | 3% to 30% | |
| Operate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials | 5% | 30% to 75% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills recycling and reclamation workers use most, most used first.
Human value: what makes people in this job hard to replace
How much recycling and reclamation workers rely on each one, from 0 to 10. 311 estimates, low confidence.
- Go-to problem solver4/10
- Trust and reliability7/10
- Know-how about the organisation5/10
- Network and relationships4/10
- Mentoring and developing others5/10
- Culture and morale4/10
- Initiative beyond the role4/10
- Calm in a crisis5/10
- Bridge between teams3/10
- Reputation and influence2/10
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Weatherization Installers and Technicians54% of tasks by 2035
- Solar Energy Installation Managers47% of tasks by 2035 · US median $79,920
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers60% of tasks by 2035 · US median $48,110
- Biofuels Processing Technicians67% of tasks by 2035 · US median $62,470
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Recycling and Reclamation Workers?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of recycling and reclamation workers?
Machines can do 28% of the tasks of recycling and reclamation workers today and 71% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 53-7062.04 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring, forecast and human value: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit (human value scores are 311 estimates, low confidence); after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Recycling and Reclamation Workers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/recycling-and-reclamation-workers/