Refuse and salvage occupations

Also called: Salvage hand, Refuse loader, Refuse tipman, Refuse worker, Refuse remover, Salvage worker, Salvage foreman, Refuse collector, Refuse operative, Salvage collector, Refuse disposal officer, Refuse disposal trimmer

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

Main 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

How to become one

No academic qualifications are required. Training is provided on-the-job. A minimum age limit of 18 years normally applies.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Metal recycling general operative (level 2). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0507.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £27,857 a year The middle half earn £25,803 to £31,223.
• About 52,100 people work in this job now, and about 50,200 are projected by 2035. (-3.7%)

Related jobs

• Window cleaners
• Street cleaners
• Cleaners and domestics
• Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers
• Vehicle valeters and cleaners

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Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03