Junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinator job description
A junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinator runs the yard or warehouse where trucks unload, splitting each load into donations, recycling and trash. They manage the partners who take each stream, track dump fees against what scrap and resale bring in, and keep the crews stocked with supplies.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, waste collection companies · BLS, May 2025
Responsible for efficiently managing the warehouse environment and recycling processes to support environmentally responsible junk removal operations. Ensures proper sorting of loads for recycling and donation, maximizes revenue through accurate tracking, and maintains optimal inventory levels for supplies. Plays a key role in upholding the company's commitment to sustainability and operational excellence.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Sort loads of materials for recycling and donation to ensure environmentally sound disposal practices.
Manage warehouse layout to optimize space utilization and workflow efficiency.
Track disposal fees versus diversion revenue to aid in financial analysis and decision-making.
Maintain required supplies and equipment to support daily junk removal and recycling operations.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Conduct daily inspections of incoming loads to separate recyclable materials from waste.
Organize and rearrange warehouse layout as needed to improve operational efficiency.
Record and update financial data related to disposal fees and diversion revenue.
Monitor inventory levels and replenish supplies to avoid operational disruptions.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Recycling efficiency measured by achieving a minimum 90% diversion rate.
Warehouse layout compliance with 95% adherence to safety and operational protocols.
Disposal fee tracking accuracy at 98% or higher.
Inventory maintenance with less than 2% supply shortages per quarter.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Associate degree or equivalent experience in logistics, supply chain, or a related field.
Minimum of 2 years’ experience in warehouse management or recycling operations.
Strong organizational and data tracking skills with attention to detail.
Excellent communication skills and proficiency in basic computer applications.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience in the home services or junk removal industry.
Background in environmental services or recycling program management.
Familiarity with inventory management software and data reporting.
Experience working in a high-volume, fast-paced warehouse environment.
7. Physical Requirements
Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds repeatedly during work shifts.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, and reach for long periods in a warehouse setting.
Willingness to work in varying temperatures and occasionally confined spaces.
Capability to perform manual tasks efficiently while maintaining safety protocols.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Work typically conducted in a warehouse environment with exposure to dust and noise.
Standard work hours from Monday to Friday with a possibility of overtime during peak periods.
Occasional on-site visits to customer properties for material drop-off or pick-up.
Minimal travel required within the local service area.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Annual salary range of $45,000 - $55,000 USD, commensurate with experience.
Eligibility for performance bonuses based on meeting operational KPIs.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
401(k) plan with company match, paid time off, and employee discounts on services.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a forward-thinking company dedicated to environmental sustainability, operational excellence, and continuous employee growth.
Our workplace fosters collaboration, innovation, and a strong commitment to providing outstanding service to our customers.
We believe in investing in our team through ongoing training, growth opportunities, and a supportive work environment.
Join a company where your contributions make a meaningful impact on communities and the environment.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
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What makes recycling coordination in junk removal different
A recycling center gets materials already sorted by type. A junk hauler's warehouse gets whatever was in someone's garage, and the coordinator decides what can live again, what gets recycled and what has to be paid to dump.
Appliances wait in their own corner
Fridges, freezers and window units go to a marked spot, standing up with their lines intact, until the appliance recycler collects them. The coordinator logs each unit in and out and files any signed paperwork the recycler asks for. What that paperwork must say is the environmental compliance officer's call, so the coordinator keeps it where the officer can find it fast.
Old computers need a recycler that wipes data
Estate cleanouts bring in a family's old laptops, phones and towers. EPA encourages electronics recyclers to get certified, and names two accredited standards, R2 and e-Stewards. Both require destroying all data on used electronics. The coordinator keeps devices locked up until a recycler the compliance officer approved picks them up, and files the receipt with the job. Source: EPA: Certified electronics recyclers.
Weigh tickets tie every fee to a job
The transfer station charges by weight or by load, and the scrap buyer pays by weight. Each ticket needs a truck number and job number on it, or the fee report turns into guesswork. The coordinator collects tickets from crew leaders every day, chases the missing ones, and matches them to the monthly invoices before the bookkeeper pays.
Donation receipts come from the charity
Customers often ask for a receipt for a donated couch or dresser. Under IRS rules, the written receipt for a larger gift comes from the charity that got it. It lists the items but doesn't put a value on them. So crews never promise a receipt or a value. The coordinator keeps whatever papers the charity hands back at drop-off. Source: IRS: Charitable contributions, written acknowledgments.
Forklift drivers need training on file
Moving bales and pallets of donations often means a forklift. OSHA says each driver must be trained and evaluated before driving one alone. Their driving gets checked again at least every three years. The company certifies this in writing, with names and dates. The coordinator keeps those records for everyone who drives in the warehouse. Source: OSHA: Powered industrial trucks (29 CFR 1910.178).
How much junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinators make
The closest BLS group for junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinators is First-Line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers. First-Line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers who work for waste collection companies earned a median of $36.23 an hour ($75,360 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s above the $62,890 median for First-Line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers in all industries. About 7,160 of the 623,640 First-Line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers in that survey work for waste collection companies.
Salaried, with a bonus for meeting the template's KPIs. O*NET puts recycling coordinators with first-line supervisors of material movers, and BLS reports their pay together with other transport supervisors. Many in that group lead full crews, so the BLS figure can sit well above what you'd pay a coordinator who mostly sorts and tracks.
Waste collection companies
$75,360$75,360 median Middle half $58,110–$87,510 10th–90th $46,140–$101,160
All industries
$62,890$62,890 median Middle half $50,070–$78,160 10th–90th $43,360–$96,150
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Waste collection companies
$46,140
$58,110
$75,360
$87,510
$101,160
All industries
$43,360
$50,070
$62,890
$78,160
$96,150
BLS doesn’t publish pay for junk removal companies on their own. These figures cover waste collection, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Two or more years running a warehouse, scrap yard or recycling floor
Keeps clean records of weights, fees and partner drop-offs
Builds a floor layout so trucks unload and sort fast
Works well with charity, scrap and recycler contacts
Spotting what can be reused, recycled or has to be dumped
Teach these on the job
Which charity, scrap buyer and recycler gets each kind of item
How your local transfer station charges and weighs loads
Your inventory and reporting software
Forklift and pallet jack operation, with formal training
Where to send items crews shouldn't have loaded
Expect a floor scale or partner weigh tickets, a forklift and pallet jacks, balers or cardboard compactors in some yards, spreadsheets or inventory software, and photo records for donations. In the ad, list the materials you sort and whether forklift work is part of the job.
Junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinator interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Donation rejections
A donation partner rejects half of today's furniture as damaged. What do you do?
A strong answer: Accepts their rules, routes the items elsewhere, gives crews photo examples of what the partner takes and tracks the rejection rate.
Behavioral · Warehouse layout
Tell me about a time you reorganized a warehouse, yard or storage area that was slowing people down or causing near misses.
A strong answer: Describes the problem, the new layout (clear aisles, labeled zones, heavy items low, fast movers near the door) and a result such as faster unloading or fewer incidents.
Junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinator KPIs
Decide how you weigh and count diversion before you set any target here, then hold to the same method month after month.
Recycling efficiency measured by achieving a minimum 90% diversion rate
Weight kept out of the landfill through donation, resale and recycling, divided by total weight hauled. Use partner and transfer station weigh tickets, and estimate donations by a set method.
Warehouse layout compliance with 95% adherence to safety and operational protocols
A weekly walk-through checklist: clear aisles and exits, marked zones for each material stream, stacked loads secure, and hazardous items held apart in their own spot.
Disposal fee tracking accuracy at 98% or higher
Dump and recycling fees entered against the right truck and job, checked monthly against transfer station invoices. Mismatches point to lost tickets or wrong job codes.
Inventory maintenance with less than 2% supply shortages per quarter
Days a crew left short of bags, tarps, straps, gloves or blankets, from crew leader reports. Set reorder points for each item and review them as the season changes.
Junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinator FAQ
How do I measure a diversion rate?
Divide the weight you kept out of the landfill by the total weight you hauled, over the same period. Scale tickets cover the landfill and most recyclers. Donations usually aren't weighed, so pick one way to estimate them, such as average weights by item type, and use it every month. If you change the method midyear, the numbers stop meaning anything.
How much does a junk removal warehouse and recycling coordinator make?
First-Line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers who work for waste collection companies earned a median of $36.23 an hour ($75,360 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $58,110 and $87,510 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
What happens to hazardous items that end up in the warehouse?
Things slip past the crews, like a can of paint in a box or a propane tank under a grill cover. The coordinator keeps a marked spot for them, away from the trash. Then they go out by your approved route, such as a local collection program or a licensed hauler. Your environmental compliance officer sets those rules.
Can a junk removal company sell what it hauls?
Yes, if your terms allow it. Scrap metal and good used furniture can both bring in money. Make sure your service terms say who owns items once they're loaded, and give anything personal, like photos or papers, back to the customer. The coordinator tracks that income so it shows up next to dump fees.
What background fits this role?
People who have run a thrift store back room, a scrap yard scale house or a busy warehouse often do well. Look for someone who keeps tidy records, likes making a messy space work, and can talk easily with charity staff in the morning and a scrap buyer in the afternoon.
