How to Become a Waste Reduction Coordinator: Career Guide
To become a waste reduction coordinator, your first step is to determine if this career is right for you.
If you’re interested in a green career in which you’re part environmentalists, part bureaucrats and part public relations specialists, and you want to help your organization contribute to waste reduction on a large corporate scale, then a career as a waste reduction coordinator may be well suited for you.
Below we've outlined what you'll need to succeed in a career as a waste reduction coordinator. We've also included helpful information for a waste reduction coordinator career, such as job description, job duties, salary expectations, a list of possible employers and much more!
Education Needed to Become a Waste Reduction Coordinator
Typically, waste reduction coordinators have a bachelor’s degree in a field such as Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering or Business.
However, with enough work experience in a related field, it is possible to get a job as a waste reduction coordinator without post-secondary education. Most waste reduction coordinator positions require some related work experience, regardless of educational requirements.
Waste Reduction Coordinator Job Description
Waste reduction coordinators, also known as waste reduction specialists, are responsible for developing and managing waste reduction and recycling initiatives for their municipality. They must research and evaluate new initiatives relating to waste reduction, waste management and recycling in order to continuously improve the effectiveness of the municipal department they serve.
Waste Reduction Coordinator Job Duties
• Communicate the position of the department to City Council or other levels of government, and the community
• Form recommendations on new initiatives relating to various waste reduction, waste management and recycling programs
• Prepare reports relating to various waste management initiatives
• Undertake community based social marketing programs to establish community support for the department’s initiatives
• Act as a media spokesperson
• Develop contracts, agreements, business plans, tender documentation and bylaws as part of new program implementation
• Measure participation rates of new programs and initiatives
• Identify financing strategies for new programs and initiatives
Who Hires Waste Reduction Coordinators?
Waste reduction coordinators are typically hired by organizations that have an annual budget for administering a waste reduction or recycling program; such organizations include:
• Federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal governments
• Community recycling organizations
• Integrated waste management companies
• Hospitals and health facilities
• Environmental consulting firms
• Private corporations
Waste Reduction Coordinator Salary
Salary levels for waste reduction coordinators can vary depending on many factors, such as where they work, their level of experience, the budget of the program they are overseeing and many others.
Although there is no reliable data available for the expected salary of waster reduction coordinators, we can determine their approximate salary level by looking at the salary level of a very closely related occupation; recycling coordinator.
Waste Reduction Coordinator Salary Canada: According to ECO Canada, recycling coordinators in entry-level positions make an average of $38,000 per year in Canada. With additional and experience, they can earn between $52,000 and $67,000 per year.
Waste Reduction Coordinator Salary United States: According to U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, the median wages for recycling coordinators is $22.37 per hour.
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Careers Similar to Waste Reduction Coordinator
Listed below are jobs that are similar in nature to Waste Reduction Coordinator, as they may involve many of the same skills, competencies and responsibilities.
• Municipal Environmental Coordinator
References: Waste Reduction Coordinator Career
Please consult the references below to find more information on the various aspects of a career as a waste reduction coordinator.
Summary Report: “Recycling Coordinator.” (December 12, 2019). O*NET OnLine website. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
Career Profiles: “Recycling Coordinator.” (n.d.) ECO Canada website. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
Career Profile: “Waste Reduction Coordinator - What They Do.” (n.d.). College Foundation of North Carolina website. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
Scholarships for Becoming a Waste Reduction Coordinator
Scholarships listed for majors that apply to becoming a Waste Reduction Coordinator can be found on our Environmental Science Scholarships page.
Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!
Becoming a Waste Reduction Coordinator: Applicable Majors
Studying one of the university majors listed below is an excellent starting point to becoming a waste reduction coordinator. Click on the links to find out what else you can do with these majors!
