Occupation (9661) - 2026-Q1
The workforce of Garbage and Recyclables during first quarter of 2026 was 151k people, whose salary averaged $4.96k MX working around 35.4 hours per week.
The average age of Garbage and Recyclables was 45.4 years. The workforce was distributed in 86.7% men with an average salary of $5.23k MX and, 13.3% women with average salary of $3.19k MX.
The best average salaries received by Garbage and Recyclables were in Baja California Sur ($10.8k MX), Sonora ($9.76k MX), and Jalisco ($7.94k MX) while the workforce was larger in Estado de México (22.3k), Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (16.3k), and Puebla (11k).
In terms of industries, the best average salaries were in General Public Administration ($10k MX), Employment Services ($9.46k MX), and Justice Administration and Security and Public Order Preservation ($8.3k MX), while the workforce was concentrated on Waste Collection (203k), Waste Treatment and Final Disposal (59.4k), and Justice Administration and Security and Public Order Preservation (2.42%).
16.2% of the total informal workers correspond to women with an average salary of $2.95k MX and 83.8% to men with an average salary of $4.37k MX.
At the level of states, Tlaxcala had the highest percentage of informal workers with 100% corresponding to 869 from 869 workers, while the state with the lowest percentage of informal workers was Zacatecas with a 13% corresponding to 285 from 2.2k workers.
At first quarter of 2026, the people who worked as Garbage and Recyclables were 151k being a 14% higher than the fourth quarter of 2025. (133k).
In the same period, an average salary of $4.96k MX was observed, registering an increase of 5.52%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 ($4.7k MX).
The states with the highest number of Garbage and Recyclables during the first quarter of 2026 were Estado de México (22.3k), Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (16.3k), and Puebla (11k)
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 11.8k (258%) and 8.03k (56.4%), respectively. On the other hand, the negative variations were accentuated in Ciudad de México and Coahuila de Zaragoza with a decrease of 5.13k (54.8%) and 3.43k (35.5%), respectively.
The states with the best average salaries for Garbage and Recyclables during first quarter of 2026 were Baja California Sur ($10.8k MX), Sonora ($9.76k MX), and Jalisco ($7.94k MX)
Comparing the first quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2026, the positive salary growth was higher in Guerrero and Hidalgo with an increase of $4.16k MX (111%) and $3.8k MX (296%), respectively. Por otro lado, las variaciones salariales negativas se acentuaron en Baja California and Tlaxcala with a decrease of $3.13k MX (28.6%) and $2.27k MX (56.3%), respectively.
Average Age 2026-Q1: 46.1, Men
At first quarter of 2026, the male workforce in Garbage and Recyclables represented the 86.7% of the employed population and women 13.3%. The male workforce was higher in the age group of 55 to 64 years (29.6k), while the female workforce was higher in the age group of 15 to 24 years (5.22k).
The highest average salary was $7.94k MX received by men from 25 to 34 years, while the lowest average salary was $3.19k 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): 7.5, Men
During the first quarter of 2026, male and female workforce in Garbage and Recyclables was concentrated in the educational segment with 4 to 6 years of schooling (46.5k men and 8.02k women).
The highest average salary was $7.1k MX received by men with 7 to 9 years of schooling, while the lowest average salary was $3.57k MX received by men 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 Garbage and Recyclables in different industries and economic sectors.
At first quarter of 2026, the workforce was higher in Waste Collection (75.1%), Waste Treatment and Final Disposal (21.9%), and Justice Administration and Security and Public Order Preservation (2.42%).
In the same period, the best average salaries were received in General Public Administration ($10k MX), Employment Services ($9.46k MX), and Justice Administration and Security and Public Order Preservation ($8.3k MX).
Labor Informality 2026-Q1
During the first quarter of 2026, the labor informality of Garbage and Recyclables reached a 77.8%, which implied an increase from 3.61 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 (74.2%).
The labor informality of this occupation was higher than informality at the country level in 23 percentage points during the first quarter of 2026.
At first quarter of 2026, the states with the highest rate of labor informality in Garbage and Recyclables were Tlaxcala (100%), Michoacán de Ocampo (100%), and Hidalgo (100%).
The states with the lowest informality rate were Tabasco (28.9%), Morelos (26.7%), and Zacatecas (13%).
The workforce of Garbage and Recyclables during the first quarter of 2026 was higher in the age group with 55 to 64 years concentrating 33.6k workers of which 5.73% corresponds to formal employment (1.93k) and 94.3% to informal employment (31.7k).
Regarding the schooling years, the workforce was higher in the range with 4 to 6 years of schooling concentrating 54.5k workers of which 8.93% corresponds to formal employment (4.87k) and 91.1% corresponds to informal employment (49.6k).