Incidents of work-related injuries in the waste and recycling industry decreased slightly year over year in 2023, but solid waste collection workers reported significantly more illnesses, according to annual data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday.
For solid waste collection workers, the injury rate was 4.3 total cases per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, down slightly from the previous year’s 4.7. Landfill workers also had fewer recorded injuries in 2023. That rate was 3.1 cases per 100 FTE, down from the previous year’s 3.6. Rates for MRF workers were not specifically included in this year’s data. BLS last year noted a MRF injury rate of 4.4.
The total recordable illness rate for solid waste collection workers in 2023 was 13.8 per 100 FTE, up significantly from 5.8 in 2022. It’s unclear what led to such an increase. Data shows an incidence rate of 2.0 for respiratory conditions and a rate of 1.3 for skin “diseases or disorders,” but it lists the majority of related illnesses as falling into the “other” category.
In 2023, landfill workers’ illness rate was 4.9, compared with 8.6 in 2022. BLS did not provide illness data for MRF workers, which it last reported in 2020 but has not updated in subsequent years.
BLS noted the combined incidence rates of both nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses was 4.4 for solid waste collection workers and 3.1 for landfill workers in 2023.
The industry aims to get back on track to beat the BLS injury and illness rates recorded for 2021, the lowest levels since 2006.
The 2023 annual data comes as major waste and recycling companies are also working to lower their total recordable incident rates – a combination of certain injury and illness data – while preventing fatalities.
Both WM and Republic Services have publicly set ESG goals to achieve a total OSHA recordable incident rate of 2.0 or lower by 2030. WM reported a rate of 3.08 in 2023, up slightly from its 3.02 rate in 2022 and 3.0 rate in 2021. Republic Services reported a rate of 2.8 in 2023, down slightly from 2.9 in 2022 and 3.6 in 2021.
In 2023, private industry employers across all job sectors reported 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses overall, down 8.4% from 2022. The incidence rate for all private industry jobs reported was 2.4, the lowest rate since 2003, BLS said. That’s down from 2.7 the previous year.
BLS plans to release worker fatality statistics for 2023 on Dec. 19. In 2022, refuse and recyclable materials collection was the seventh-deadliest occupation in the United States, the same as in 2021.
