Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

Most exposed tasks

Highest structured exposure values in this role’s task mix — the work AI systems can already do most of.

• Organize schedules for refuse collection.66

Augmentable tasks

Work where AI assists rather than replaces — the productivity frontier of this role.

• Tag garbage or recycling containers to inform customers of problems, such as excess garbage or inclusion of items that are not permitted.57
• Drive trucks, following established routes, through residential streets or alleys or through business or industrial areas.50
• Fill out defective equipment reports.50

Most durable tasks

Lowest exposure — typically judgment, relationships, physical presence, or accountability. This is the human moat.

• Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites.31
• Check road or weather conditions to determine how routes will be affected.31
• Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition.34

Task exposure values and classifications come from the versioned data release — they are structured data, not model output. Bars show exposure contribution relative to this role’s task mix.

What this means

A score of 44 puts Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in the second quartile of analyzed occupations. In practice, exposure this level is about the mix: 1 of 14 analyzed tasks lean automatable, 9 augmentable, and 4 durable. The useful question isn’t “will AI take this job” — it’s which tasks go first, which get faster, and where to reposition time. That’s what the personalized report maps against your actual week.

One next move: adopt AI deliberately on the augmentable tasks and build visible evidence of the durable ones.

Lower-exposure adjacent roles

Shown only when the target is at least 10 points lower under the same score version and skill overlap is at least 50%. These are adjacent roles with lower task exposure — not guaranteed “safe careers”.

Labor-market context

• $49,690median wage
• 147,240employed
• 16,900annual openings
• +0.9%projected growth

Context only — labor statistics are not inputs to the exposure score. See methodology.

Related roles

Adjacent by skills or family — no exposure claim implied.

• Recycling and Reclamation Workers 43
• Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 45
• Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 50
• Recycling Coordinators 63
• Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders 52
• Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners 30

FAQ — Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

What does a score of 44 mean for a Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors?

It means that, weighted across the 14 tasks we analyzed for this role, the task mix sits at 44 on a 0–100 exposure scale — in the second quartile of analyzed occupations. It measures task exposure to current and near-term AI capabilities, not the probability of losing a job.

Which tasks in this role are most exposed to AI?

The highest-exposure tasks are: Organize schedules for refuse collection. Exposure is scored per task from structured data, not generated by a language model.

Which parts of this job are most durable?

The most durable responsibilities are: Dump refuse or recyclable materials at disposal sites; Check road or weather conditions to determine how routes will be affected; Inspect trucks prior to beginning routes to ensure safe operating condition. Durable tasks typically depend on judgment, relationships, physical presence, or accountability.

Is this score personalized to me?

No — this page shows the occupation-level baseline. Two people with the same title often do different work. The $9 personalized report recalculates the score from the tasks you actually do and builds a concrete 7/30/90-day plan around them.