How to become a Recycling or Waste Collector
Also called: Waste Removalist
Collects household, commercial and industrial waste for recycling or disposal.
Main tasks
- Collects waste and recycling bins and containers from residential, commercial and industrial areas
- Positions bins for collection and manually empties bins into waste collection trucks
- Communicates with supervisors and team members to coordinate waste collection
- Assists in transporting waste and recyclable materials to waste transfer stations, landfill sites and materials recovery facilities
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Waste Management (CPP30719); Certificate IV in Waste Management (CPP40919)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $76,024 a year
- About 3,600 people work in this job group now, and about 3,800 are projected by 2035. (+4.9%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Recycling or Waste Collector?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Waste Management; Certificate IV in Waste Management.
How much does a Recycling or Waste Collector earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $76,024 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Recycling or Waste Collector a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 3,600 to about 3,800 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Recycling or Waste Collector?
Usually not. Only 4% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Waste Management; Certificate IV in Waste Management.
Will AI change the work of a Recycling or Waste Collector?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04