NWRA, SWANA issue responses to BLS fatality data

The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA), Arlington, Virginia, and the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, have both issued statements addressing the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2024 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. 

The BLS report shows that refuse and recyclable materials collectors had a lower fatality rate compared to previous years. The 2024 fatality rate was 37.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers (FTE), a decrease from the 2023 fatality rate of 41.4 per 100,000 FTE.   

“While this data release shows some improvements from the prior year, it is clear that we have a long way to go in improving worker safety,” SWANA CEO Amy Lestition Burke says. “Waste and recyclable materials collectors perform vital work that safeguards public health and the environment, and their lives must never be the cost of doing that work.”  

This occupation had a total of 36 fatalities in 2024, a drop from 41 fatalities in 2023. The BLS data shows that the occupation of refuse and recyclable materials collectors was ranked as the civilian occupation with the fifth highest fatality rate, an improvement from its status as fourth on the list in 2023. The 2024 rate is still higher than in previous years, considering the 2022 fatality rate of 22.6 per 100,000 FTE.  

Transportation incidents continue to be the primary cause of fatalities, accounting for 38.2 percent of all occupational fatalities in 2024.  

“NWRA is encouraged to see the waste and recycling industry move from fourth to fifth among the most dangerous occupations in the latest BLS fatality data,” says Michael E. Hoffman, NWRA president and CEO. “Any workplace fatality is one too many, movement in the right direction reflects the continued commitment of our industry to strengthen safety practices, invest in training and protect the men and women who serve our communities every day.” 

NWRA stated that it remains focused on ensuring that fatality data accurately reflects the real-world work performed in the industry. The organization is currently awaiting the release of the supporting data behind the report and has engaged independent researchers to conduct a comprehensive 20-year review of waste and recycling fatality data. 

The report, which is expected to be released later this year, will provide additional context and long-term trend analysis to guide safety policy, industry practices and advocacy efforts. 

“Safety is not a ranking—it is a responsibility,” Hoffman says. “NWRA and its members remain fully committed to continued improvement and helping ensure that all waste and recycling employees make it home safely to their families every night.”  

SWANA is hosting an in-person safety workshop in Washington, March 19, that is open to anyone in the industry who may benefit from interactive exercises on safety culture and presentations from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and industry leaders.  

“Even one fatality is one too many,” says Kristyn Oldendorf, SWANA senior director of public policy and communications. “The release of the 2024 fatality data shows that waste and recycling collection remains a dangerous occupation. We urge everyone to recognize the value of this work and to take meaningful action to ensure these workers return home safely every day."