AI JOB RISK SCANNER
O*NET-SOC 53-7062.04 / model V11 rated-task engine

Will AI replace
Recycling and Reclamation Workers?

Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling. Identify and remove hazardous substances. Dismantle components of products such as appliances.

Estimated AI task exposure
27%

Low-Moderate exposure

V11 weights occupation tasks using O*NET Importance, Relevance and Frequency ratings instead of treating every task equally.

14 tasks have usable Task Rating records; weighted-task coverage is 100%.

Digital/info work

45/100

Physical moat

72/100

Human moat

15/100

Rating coverage

100%

14 task statements / 14 rated

Highest-weighted occupation tasks

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.
Importance 75/100Relevance 90/100Frequency 71/100Weight 0.80
Clean recycling yard by sweeping, raking, picking up broken glass and loose paper debris, or moving barrels and bins.
Importance 78/100Relevance 81/100Frequency 68/100Weight 0.77
Sort materials, such as metals, glass, wood, paper or plastics, into appropriate containers for recycling.
Importance 82/100Relevance 70/100Frequency 72/100Weight 0.75
Sort metals to separate high-grade metals, such as copper, brass, and aluminum, for recycling.
Importance 74/100Relevance 70/100Frequency 66/100Weight 0.70
Clean, inspect, or lubricate recyclable collection equipment or perform routine maintenance or minor repairs on recycling equipment, such as star gears, finger sorters, destoners, belts, and grinders.
Importance 70/100Relevance 69/100Frequency 57/100Weight 0.66
Operate balers to compress recyclable materials into bundles or bales.
Importance 77/100Relevance 65/100Frequency 71/100Weight 0.71
Deposit recoverable materials into chutes or place materials on conveyor belts.
Importance 79/100Relevance 62/100Frequency 71/100Weight 0.70
Operate processing equipment, such as fiber-sorters and grinders, to sort, crush, or grind recyclable materials.
Importance 70/100Relevance 62/100Frequency 63/100Weight 0.65
Clean materials, such as metals, according to recycling requirements.
Importance 76/100Relevance 32/100Frequency 72/100Weight 0.58
Record logs of recycled materials or waste chemicals removed from products.
Importance 72/100Relevance 34/100Frequency 72/100Weight 0.58

Task weighting

Each rated task receives a composite weight: 38% relevance, 37% importance and 25% frequency. Core tasks receive a small additional multiplier. Low-precision rows flagged by O*NET for suppression are excluded.

Occupation scoring

When rating coverage is strong, rated tasks contribute 60% of the digital, physical and human task signals and Work Activities contribute 40%. Lower-coverage occupations automatically rely more on Work Activities.

U.S. labor market

BLS Wage & Employment Outlook

Median annual wage

$40,240

BLS OEWS May 2025

National employment

2,950,280

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

+1.8%

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

Average annual openings

340

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

BLS labor-market figures are separate from the site's AI-exposure model. Missing values mean a compatible detailed BLS occupation estimate was not published or could not be mapped.

Career pivot radar

Safer Career Alternatives

These options are selected from the same 923-occupation model. They favor a similar task/work profile with meaningfully lower estimated AI exposure. They are suggestions for exploration, not guarantees of job fit.

SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Helpers--Extraction Workers

5%

22 points lower exposure • 87% profile similarity

Median wage: $47,730 Growth 2025–2035: +1.7% Annual openings: 1

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

5%

22 points lower exposure • 88% profile similarity

Median wage: $65,510 Growth 2025–2035: +6.7% Annual openings: 15

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

5%

22 points lower exposure • 86% profile similarity

Median wage: $56,210 Growth 2025–2035: +4.4% Annual openings: 1

stronger human/judgment moat, more physical-world work
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

6%

21 points lower exposure • 89% profile similarity

Median wage: $58,870 Growth 2025–2035: +2.8% Annual openings: 1

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Home Appliance Repairers

5%

22 points lower exposure • 89% profile similarity

Median wage: $50,990 Growth 2025–2035: +1.9% Annual openings: 3

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure
SAFER ALTERNATIVE

Wind Turbine Service Technicians

5%

22 points lower exposure • 87% profile similarity

Median wage: $64,120 Growth 2025–2035: +29.5% Annual openings: 2

more physical-world work, less digital task exposure

Personalized career defense protocol

AI-Proofing Plan

AUTOMATE

    AUGMENT

    • administrative support tasks
    • planning and documentation

    PROTECT

    • physical-world execution
    • on-site troubleshooting
    • dexterity and equipment interaction

    LEARN

    • AI-assisted diagnostics
    • digital documentation
    • basic AI literacy

    AI-PROOFING RESOURCES

    What this score does not mean

    The percentage is a comparative task-exposure index. It is not the probability that this occupation disappears, that a worker is laid off, or that AI can perform the entire job.

    New in V11

    Find a Safer Career Path

    High exposure does not mean starting over. V11 compares your occupation with the other 922 O*NET occupations and surfaces lower-exposure options with similar work profiles.

    EXPLORE CAREER ALTERNATIVES
    I am your guide.
    Knowledge is your strongest upgrade.