Subgroup (966) - 2026-Q1
The workforce of Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials during first quarter of 2026 was 195k people, whose salary averaged $5.29k MX working around 37.8 hours per week.
The average age of Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials was 44 years. The workforce was distributed in 84.3% men with an average salary of $5.55k MX and, 15.7% women with average salary of $3.95k MX.
The best average salaries received by Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials were in Baja California Sur ($10.4k MX), Baja California ($9.67k MX), and Sonora ($9.48k MX) while the workforce was larger in Estado de México (30.3k), Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (19.2k), and Guanajuato (12.9k).
In terms of industries, the best average salaries were in General Public Administration ($10k MX), Employment Services ($9.46k MX), and Retail Trade of Automobiles and Pickup Trucks ($8.68k MX), while the workforce was concentrated on Waste Collection (217k), Waste Treatment and Final Disposal (60.4k), and Retail Trade of Automobiles and Pickup Trucks (17.5k).
18.3% of the total informal workers correspond to women with an average salary of $3.37k MX and 81.7% to men with an average salary of $4.69k MX.
At the level of states, Tlaxcala had the highest percentage of informal workers with 100% corresponding to 2k from 2k workers, while the state with the lowest percentage of informal workers was Zacatecas with a 23.7% corresponding to 634 from 2.67k workers.
At first quarter of 2026, the people who worked as Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials were 195k being a 16.6% higher than the fourth quarter of 2025. (168k).
In the same period, an average salary of $5.29k MX was observed, registering an increase of 6.25%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 ($4.98k MX).
The states with the highest number of Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials during the first quarter of 2026 were Estado de México (30.3k), Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (19.2k), and Guanajuato (12.9k)
Comparing the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2026, the main positive variations occurred in Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave and Estado de México with an increase of 13.6k (241%) and 12.5k (70.6%), respectively. On the other hand, the negative variations were accentuated in Michoacán de Ocampo and Coahuila de Zaragoza with a decrease of 3.78k (58.9%) and 3.45k (30%), respectively.
The states with the best average salaries for Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials during first quarter of 2026 were Baja California Sur ($10.4k MX), Baja California ($9.67k MX), and Sonora ($9.48k MX)
Comparing the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2026, the positive salary growth was higher in Hidalgo and Chihuahua with an increase of $3.32k MX (173%) and $3.17k MX (130%), respectively. Por otro lado, las variaciones salariales negativas se acentuaron en Zacatecas and Oaxaca with a decrease of $3.67k MX (46.5%) and $2.07k MX (31.8%), respectively.
Average Age 2026-Q1: 44.5, Men
At first quarter of 2026, the male workforce in Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials represented the 84.3% of the employed population and women 15.7%. The male workforce was higher in the age group of 55 to 64 years (34.3k), while the female workforce was higher in the age group of 45 to 54 years (9.52k).
The highest average salary was $8.05k MX received by men from 25 to 34 years, while the lowest average salary was $2.91k MX received by men from 65 to 74 years.
* The data regarding salaries have low statistical precision so it should not be used as conclusions.
Average Schooling in Years (2026-Q1)
During the first quarter of 2026, male and female workforce in Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials was concentrated in the educational segment with 7 to 9 years of schooling (54k men and 12k women).
The highest average salary was $7.17k MX received by men with 7 to 9 years of schooling, while the lowest average salary was $1.73k MX received by women with 4 to 6 years of schooling.
* The data regarding salaries have low statistical precision so it should not be used as conclusions.
The visualization shows the distribution of Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials in different industries and economic sectors.
At first quarter of 2026, the workforce was higher in Waste Collection (71.7%), Waste Treatment and Final Disposal (19.9%), and Retail Trade of Automobiles and Pickup Trucks (5.76%).
In the same period, the best average salaries were received in General Public Administration ($10k MX), Employment Services ($9.46k MX), and Retail Trade of Automobiles and Pickup Trucks ($8.68k MX).
Labor Informality 2026-Q1
During the first quarter of 2026, the labor informality of Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials reached a 76.7%, which implied an increase from 1.84 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 (74.8%).
The labor informality of this occupation was higher than informality at the country level in 21.9 percentage points during the first quarter of 2026.
At first quarter of 2026, the states with the highest rate of labor informality in Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials were Tlaxcala (100%), Michoacán de Ocampo (100%), and Ciudad de México (100%).
The states with the lowest informality rate were Tabasco (35.9%), Morelos (32.1%), and Zacatecas (23.7%).
The workforce of Refuse, Recyclable Material and other Materials during the first quarter of 2026 was higher in the age group with 45 to 54 years concentrating 39.1k workers of which 26% corresponds to formal employment (10.2k) and 74% to informal employment (28.9k).
Regarding the schooling years, the workforce was higher in the range with 7 to 9 years of schooling concentrating 66k workers of which 30.2% corresponds to formal employment (19.9k) and 69.8% corresponds to informal employment (46.1k).