Role Description

Entry requirements

You could either:

take a degree or postgraduate course in waste management, or a related subject like environmental science, chemistry or Earth sciences
gain experience and industry-recognised qualifications as a technician or supervisor in a waste management company
work your way up through the waste management industry, gaining skills and college qualifications along the way
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) lists  industry-recognised degrees and postgraduate courses.

If you take a degree, you’ll also find it useful to gain practical experience in voluntary recycling or environmental projects.

You could get into this job through an apprenticeship. 

Skills required

You’ll need:

spoken and written communication skills
management and leadership skills
the ability to organise, prioritise and meet deadlines
an understanding of budgets and statistics
IT skills, for presenting data

What you'll do

Your day-to-day duties may include:

running and inspecting waste disposal sites and recycling facilities
managing teams of refuse and recycling collectors
monitoring local waste and recycling collection services
managing contracts with private waste collection companies
analysing statistics on local levels of waste and recycling
making sure that waste disposal is handled according to the law
aiming to meet waste reduction, landfill diversion and recycling targets
introducing new disposal or recycling schemes
advising local businesses and communities on waste reduction and environmental issues
managing budgets

Salary

Starter: £22,000 to £25,000

Experienced: £28,000 to £45,000

Highly Experienced: Over £25,000

These figures are a guide.

Working hours, patterns and environment

You’ll usually work standard office hours Monday to Friday. You may work weekends if sites are open 7 days a week.

You’ll be mainly office-based, and visit sites and contractors in your local area. 

You’ll usually need a driving licence.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress into area or senior management. You could also move into recycling or environmental project management. 

You could go freelance as an environmental consultant.