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Recycling officer
Hours
30-40 per week
Starting salary
£19,000 + per year
WorkDesc
The work
As a recycling officer, you would be responsible for planning and developing environmental and waste reduction policies, and running local recycling schemes.
Your work might include:
- promoting recycling to the local community, inlcuding schools and the media
- developing policies
- managing local recycling facilities and collection services
- developing and introducing new recycling schemes
- monitoring and reporting on how often recycling services are used
- assessing tenders for work and managing contracts
- advising local communities on recycling, waste reduction and environmental issues
- managing budgets and bidding for funding
- recruiting and training volunteers
- keeping up to date with best practice and current laws.
In some jobs you might have joint responsibility for recycling and waste management (see the Waste Management Officer profile for more details); in others you would just focus on recycling.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would typically work standard office hours Monday to Friday, with occasional extra hours if you are setting up new schemes, attending evening meetings or running publicity events.
You would be office-based, and also spend time travelling around your local area to give talks, attend meetings and visit recycling sites.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Salaries are typically between £19,000 and £28,000 a year
- Senior managers can earn up to £45,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
Some employers may prefer you to have a BTEC HNC or degree in waste management or environmental sciences, but this is not always essential if you have relevant experience, for example:
- in local recycling or environmental projects (as a paid worker or volunteer)
- as a technician or supervisor in the waste management industry.
You can find a list of degrees recognised by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) at the CIWM website. Check with colleges or universities for course entry requirements.
To find out more about volunteering or work experience opportunities in your area, contact a local community recycling group, or your local council's recycling officer.
If you have previous experience in recycling projects or the waste management industry, you may find it useful to have relevant qualifications such as:
- Level 1 Diploma for General Recycling Operative
- Level 1 Diploma in Recycling Activities
- Level 2 Diploma for Sustainable Recycling Activities
- Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative
- Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative (Waste Collection Driver)
- Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative (Waste Collection)
- Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative (Team Leader)
- Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative (Waste Site Operative)
- Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative (Weighbridge Operative)
- Level 3 Diploma for Waste Supervisor
The Intermediate and Advanced Level Apprenticeships in Sustainable Resource Management provide a good preparation for this role and include the level 2 and 3 qualifications listed above. Entry requirements for the Apprenticeships are at the discretion of the recruiting employer, however there are no formal skills requirements and anyone aged 16 or over and not in full time education can apply. Applicants with higher grades are more likely to be successful.
The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. To find out more about the Apprenticeship, visit Energy & Utility Skill’s website or www.apprenticeships.org.uk. 
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
You will normally develop your skills on the job, and may also take some formal training programmes or work-based qualifications, such as:
- Level 3 Diploma for Sustainable Recycling Activities (Supervisory)
- Level 4 Diploma for Management of Sustainable Recycling Activities
- Level 4 Diploma for Management of Sustainable Recycling Activities (Small Scale Operations)
- CIWM Structured Learning and Development Scheme – for recent graduates to gain practical skills in their first job
- Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Recycling Managers' Training Programme – a series of short courses for recycling officers with at least three years' experience.
With experience, you may also choose to study for postgraduate qualifications in waste management, sustainable waste management or environmental engineering.
It may help your career to join the CIWM and work towards Chartered Waste Manager status. See the CIWM website for more details.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
- good communication and 'people skills'
- confident presentation skills
- management and leadership ability
- the ability to analyse and interpret figures
- report writing skills
- the ability to organise, prioritise and meet deadlines
- budget awareness
- a keen interest in the environment.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Energy & Utility Skills
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN
Tel: 0845 077 9922
www.euskills.co.uk
Chartered Institution of Wastes Management
9 Saxon Court
St Peter’s Gardens
Marefair
Northampton
NN1 1SX
Tel: 01604 620426
www.ciwm.co.uk
Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board (WAMITAB)
Peterbridge House
3 The Lakes
Northampton
NN4 7HE
Tel: 01604 231950
www.wamitab.org.uk
Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)
The Old Academy
21 Horse Fair
Banbury
Oxon
OX16 0AH
Tel: 0808 100 2040
www.wrap.org.uk
LG Jobs
www.lgcareers.com
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could work for local authorities, private waste and recycling contractors, community recycling groups or environmental charities.
Jobs are advertised in the local, national and industry press, on recycling websites, local authority websites and by specialist recruitment agencies.
With experience, you could progress into area or senior management. You could also move into waste management, environmental project management or freelance work as an environmental consultant.
You may find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The waste management industry is part of the energy and utility sector, represented by Energy and Utility Sector Skills Council, which also includes: power; gas; and water. The UK energy and utility sector employs an estimated 536,200 people.
The waste management industry covers the activities concerned with the collection, transport, treatment and final management of waste and recyclables. Once waste is generated from other sectors of the economy, it is collected and passed through a series of processes, which result in either valuable or non-valuable outputs. Non-valuable outputs, which consist of materials that are unsuitable for recovery and re-use, are either sent to landfill or incinerated to produce energy, heat or power. Valuable outputs (such as paper, glass, plastics, metals, etc.), once they have been dismantled and sorted, then leave the waste management industry.
Key facts:
- There are 141,000 people employed in the industry, which includes:
- 29,000 working in Integrated Waste Management Companies
- 60,000 in Public Waste Collection, Disposal Authorities and LAWDCs
- 45,000 in small medium enterprises involved in collection, processing and disposal
- 1,000 working in support services
- 3,000 contractors
- 2,000 in plant/equipment
- 1,000 others, including Regulators
- Women are concentrated in administrative and secretarial, sales and customer service roles.
- The age profile of the waste management industry is significantly older than average UK workforce.
- Around 900 new workers per year will be required by the industry between 2008 and 2017.
Jobs in the industry include: recycling officer; recycling operative; refuse operative; waste management officer; transfer station labourer; energy from waste engineer; environmental engineer; landfill gas; and energy from waste plant operator.
National and regional data
East Midlands – There are some 13,500 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 560 companies.
East of England – There are some 7,000 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 590 companies.
London – There are some 15,500 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 460 companies.
North East – There are some 7,000 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in around 210 companies.
North West – There are some 17,500 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 750 companies.
South East – There are some 17,500 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 650 companies.
South West – There are some 10,000 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 490 companies.
West Midlands – There are some 12,000 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 620 companies.
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are some 10,000 people are employed within the waste management industry in the region in approximately 620 companies.
Career paths
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