How to become a Recycling Coordinator

Official title: Recycling Coordinators

Also called: Heavy Equipment Supervisor, Recycle Coordinator, Recycling Coordinator, Recycling Manager, Recycling Program Manager, Recycling Specialist, Route Supervisor, Solid Waste Division Supervisor, Waste Reduction Coordinator

Supervise curbside and drop-off recycling programs for municipal governments or private firms.

Main tasks

• Oversee recycling pick-up or drop-off programs to ensure compliance with community ordinances.
• Maintain logs of recycling materials received or shipped to processing companies.
• Supervise recycling technicians, community service workers, or other recycling operations employees or volunteers.
• Review customer requests for service to determine service needs and deploy appropriate resources to provide service.
• Provide training to recycling technicians or community service workers on topics such as safety, solid waste processing, or general recycling operations.
• Identify or investigate new opportunities for materials to be collected and recycled.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Recycling Coordinator.

Pay · Outlook

• About 621,500 people work in this job now, and about 640,300 are projected by 2035. (+3%)

Related jobs

• Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
• First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
• First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
• First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Recycling Coordinator?

Ways in include: Recycling Coordinator.

Is a Recycling Coordinator a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 621,500 to about 640,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Recycling Coordinator?

Usually not. Only 17% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Recycling Coordinator.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page 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.