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Overview
Solid waste operators run and maintain equipment for collecting, sorting, treating and disposing of solid waste such as household, construction and demolition materials.
In job descriptions, look for waste type assessment, delivered waste checks, recycling records, sample testing, equipment monitoring, collection bins, debris removal and safe handling of non-hazardous or hazardous waste streams.
Explore this occupation
Search jobsWhat the work can involve
Solid waste operation is site and equipment work around delivered waste, containers, treatment machinery and pollution checks. The role can include sorting waste streams, emptying bins, controlling incoming loads, running recycling equipment and testing samples.
Skills and specializations
Useful skills include waste type assessment, recycling records, equipment monitoring, communication with collectors, troubleshooting and safe disposal routines. Some roles add hazardous waste awareness, route planning or civic recycling site checks.
Salary context
Pay context depends on shift pattern, plant size, equipment responsibility, exposure to difficult waste streams, record duties and whether the role includes hazardous material handling or team coordination.
Career paths
Progression may move toward senior plant operator, recycling-site lead, waste logistics coordinator, environmental compliance support or maintenance-focused waste equipment work.
Good to know
Check whether a vacancy names the waste types, equipment, sample testing, records, bins, collection routes and safety procedures. Those details show the difference between collection, sorting, plant operation and compliance support.
Editorial note
This guide is editorial career context, not official labour-market statistics or role-specific pay data.
Map overview
Click the map to search for solid waste operator jobs.
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 1
Recycling and Reclamation Workers
53-7062.04
Close relationship
The occupations are closely related, but the official mapping does not treat them as exact equivalents.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
Alternative labels
solid waste collection technician
waste treatment equipment worker
landfill site operative
solid waste disposal technician
waste disposal compliance technician
solid waste processing technician
waste disposal site compliance technician
waste sorter
waste treatment equipment operative
landfill technician
waste treatment equipment operator
solid waste remediation technician
solid waste treatment technician
landfill site worker
Occupation group
Incinerator and water treatment plant operators (3132)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/fd6a1c18-b0ff-419f-a36a-e05957452d55 |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 3132.3 |
| ISCO group | 3132 |
| Concept type | Occupation |