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.
National median · BLS
$49,450
▲ +1.98%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$56,430
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
51,710
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$38,460
25th
$44,720
Median (50th)
$49,450
75th
$61,530
90th — top pay
$82,410
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
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Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
BLS projects employment of hazardous materials removal workers to grow 1.5% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 4,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
52,700 → 53,500
+800 jobs
Projected change
+1.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.8% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What hazardous materials removal workers do
Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.
Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.
Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.
Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.
Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.
Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.
Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.
Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.
Also called
Abatement WorkerAsbestos Abatement WorkerAsbestos WorkerHazmat Technician (Hazardous Materials Technician)Clandestine Laboratory Responder (Clan Lab Responder)D and D Operator (Decontaminate and Decommissioning Operator)D and D Operator (Decontamination and Decommissioning Operator)Mold Damage Technician (Mold Damage Tech)Product Disposal CoordinatorWaste Handling Technician (Waste Handling Tech)
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $49,450.
