Dive Brief:
- Employment in the waste management and remediation services industry has achieved a record high, according to the National Waste & Recycling Association. NW&RA cited statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- The sanitation industry employed 382,500 workers in July of this year, an increase of 0.3% over the previous month, or an additional 1,200 people.
- Although the waste industry generally aligns with employment cycles on the national level, unemployment in July stood at 3.2%, while the national rate was slightly above 6%. The waste industry's 3.2% rate is a seven-year low.
Dive Insight:
Categories that fall under the umbrella of the waste management and remediation services category include solid waste collections, hazardous waste collection, hazardous waste treatment and disposal, solid waste landfills, solid waste combustors and incinerators, non-hazardous waste treatment and disposal, remediation services, materials recovery facilities and other waste management services.
According to Sharon H. Kneiss, president and CEO of NW&RA, "Technological advances in materials, materials handling and consumer behavior patterns continue to influence waste-handling methods, creating efficiencies and innovation within the industry."
