Workers at U.S. material recovery facilities (MRFs) encountered heightened dangers in recent years, with nine fatalities in 2023 and rising fire incidents linked to lithium-ion batteries. The fatality rate for refuse and recycling collectors increased over 80% that year, ranking the job fourth most dangerous in the country. Proper household recycling practices can help mitigate these hazards.
Material recovery facilities (MRFs), where curbside recycling is sorted, prioritize employee safety alongside operational efficiency, according to representatives from Rumpke and Waste Management. Despite efforts, challenges persist. In 2023, nine workers died in U.S. MRFs, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an over 80% rise in the fatality rate for refuse and recycling collectors, placing it behind only roofing, fishing and hunting, and logging jobs. A 2018 Environmental Research & Education Foundation study found 45% of MRF injuries resulted from needlestick incidents, despite bans on medical sharps in curbside recycling. Workers wear steel-toed boots, high-visibility vests, hard hats, and puncture-resistant gloves. All receive safety training, with managers trained for emergencies like battery fires, and a lock out/tag out process ensures machines cannot restart during repairs. The primary threat now is lithium-ion batteries, which can enter thermal runaway when crushed, igniting nearby materials. The National Waste and Recycling Association estimates over 5,000 such fires annually at facilities. Fire Rover data shows publicly reported fires at MRFs and transfer stations up 20% in 2024 from the prior year, with 448 incidents in 2025 across North America—likely an undercount. Costs range from $2,600 for small fires to over $50 million for major ones; major losses rose 41% in the past five years. A 2021 battery fire in Klamath Falls, Oregon, caused over $3 million in damage and closed the facility for two years. Disposable vapes, with about 1.2 billion entering waste streams yearly, exacerbate risks due to limited drop-off options. Sorting involves dumping loads on tipping floors, manual removal of contaminants like plastic bags or shredded paper—which jam machines—and automated systems using screens, magnets, optical scanners, air jets, and balers. Household actions reduce dangers: avoid placing batteries, plastic bags, medical sharps, or uncertain items in bins; use retail drop-offs or local guidelines instead.
