Salary guide · Waste & Recycling
Waste & Recycling: what the jobs pay
14 jobs, lowest paid first. Yearly ranges seen in real UK adverts in 2026, and the hourly rate on a 40 hour week.
| Job | A year | An hour, 40 hour week | Tickets or qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grounds maintenance operative | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | PA1 and PA6 spraying tickets and a chainsaw ticket are worth real money here |
| Household waste recycling centre operative | £24,800 to £27,000 | about £11.92 to £12.98 | None to start |
| Landfill operative | £24,800 to £30,000 | about £11.92 to £14.42 | NPORS or CPCS plant ticket helps |
| Recycling operative | £24,800 to £29,000 | about £11.92 to £13.94 | None to start. A forklift or shovel ticket moves you up quickly |
| Refuse loader | £24,800 to £29,000 | about £11.92 to £13.94 | No licence needed. It is physical work outdoors in all weather, and many councils and contractors will train you towards a Class 2 |
| Street cleansing operative | £24,800 to £28,000 | about £11.92 to £13.46 | None to start. A sweeper is usually a car or Class 2 licence depending on the machine |
| Hazardous waste technician | £26,000 to £34,000 | about £12.50 to £16.35 | ADR awareness, science background helps |
| Clinical waste driver | £27,000 to £34,000 | about £12.98 to £16.35 | Category C or C1 licence, Driver CPC card, ADR often required |
| Gully tanker driver | £28,000 to £36,000 | about £13.46 to £17.31 | Category C licence, Driver CPC card, NWSRS card helps |
| Waste compliance officer | £28,000 to £36,000 | about £13.46 to £17.31 | WAMITAB qualification helps |
| Refuse driver | £30,000 to £38,000 | about £14.42 to £18.27 | Class 2 licence, CPC, tacho card, and a head for early starts. Most rounds start between five and six in the morning |
| Skip hire driver | £30,000 to £38,000 | about £14.42 to £18.27 | Class 2, CPC, tacho card, and a waste carrier licence held by the firm |
| Waste and recycling supervisor | £32,000 to £42,000 | about £15.38 to £20.19 | Experience on the rounds, and often a CIWM qualification or a transport CPC at depot level |
| Waste site manager | £35,000 to £45,000 | about £16.83 to £21.63 | WAMITAB Certificate of Technical Competence |
Advertised ranges, not a survey of take home pay, and the same job pays differently by region. The National Living Wage for anybody 21 and over is £12.71 an hour. Wrong for your area? Tell us.
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