Recycling Technician Overview

Required Education and Training To Become a Recycling Technician

Best Schools to become a Recycling Technician in U.S. 2024

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, NH

In-State Tuition:$15,000
Out-of-State Tuition:$15,000
Admission Rate:96%
Graduation Rate:41%
Total Enrollment:164,091

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV

In-State Tuition:$6,840
Out-of-State Tuition:$6,840
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:55%
Total Enrollment:48,668

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA

In-State Tuition:$11,564
Out-of-State Tuition:$41,636
Admission Rate:26%
Graduation Rate:86%
Total Enrollment:26,420

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

In-State Tuition:$11,564
Out-of-State Tuition:$41,636
Admission Rate:11%
Graduation Rate:94%
Total Enrollment:45,307

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO

In-State Tuition:$11,004
Out-of-State Tuition:$37,376
Admission Rate:81%
Graduation Rate:75%
Total Enrollment:39,585

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI

In-State Tuition:$9,273
Out-of-State Tuition:$37,904
Admission Rate:49%
Graduation Rate:89%
Total Enrollment:48,956
Recycling Technician Job Description:
  • Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling.
  • Identify and remove hazardous substances.
  • Dismantle components of products such as appliances.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Recycling Technician

Job Duties for Recycling Technicians

  • Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.

  • Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, power lifts, or front-end loaders to load bales, bundles, or other heavy items onto trucks for shipping to smelters or other recycled materials processing facilities.

  • Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.

Technologies and Skills Used by Recycling Technicians

Office suite software

  • Microsoft Office software

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Word processing software

  • Microsoft Word

Basic Skills

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Current Job Market and Opportunites for a Recycling Technician

Additional Resources To Help You Become a Recycling Technician

FAQs About Becoming a Recycling Technician