Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.
What it pays
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers earn a median of $23.78/hr — about $49,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.49/hr; the top 10% earn $39.62/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers earn a median of $23.78/hr — about $49,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.49/hr; the top 10% earn $39.62/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
- Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
- Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
- Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
- Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.1% of hazardous materials removal workers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a hazardous materials removal worker make?
- The median pay is $23.78 per hour — roughly $49,500 a year, with the real range running from about $18.49/hr (10th percentile) to $39.62/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a hazardous materials removal worker?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a hazardous materials removal worker actually do all day?
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work. Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers. Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.