Will AI replace Hazardous Materials Removal Workers?

No exposure score can predict whether AI will replace this role. The 42/100 score means our current model estimates moderate task exposure from the sources listed on this page. It does not predict an employer decision, headcount, or an individual outcome. The task map below shows the work assessed and where human judgment remains important.

Early-career context (study ages 22-25)

This role is in our Moderate exposure band, not our highest-exposure bands. The study's 16% finding should not be applied directly to this role.

The November 2025 revision reports a 16% relative employment decline for workers ages 22-25 in the most AI-exposed U.S. occupations, after firm-level controls, relative to workers in less-exposed fields and more experienced workers in the same occupations.

Use the task map to identify durable work and the skills worth building early.

Stanford Digital Economy Lab, Canaries in the Coal Mine - November 2025 revision

This is group-level U.S. payroll evidence, not a personal forecast. The authors do not claim that AI alone caused the change, and this context does not alter the exposure score.

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Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 31.0 exact occupation

Identify, remove, pack, transport, or dispose of hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead-based paint, waste oil, fuel, transmission fluid, radioactive materials, or contaminated soil. Specialized training and certification in hazardous materials handling or a confined entry permit are generally required. May operate earth-moving equipment or trucks.

Common titles

Abatement WorkerAsbestos Abatement WorkerAsbestos WorkerHazmat Technician (Hazardous Materials Technician)Clandestine Laboratory Responder (Clan Lab Responder)D and D Operator (Decontaminate and Decommissioning Operator)

O*NET job-zone preparation

Job Zone 2 · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.

Broad guidance for this preparation level; exact requirements vary by role and employer.

Skills and knowledge

MonitoringCritical ThinkingCoordinationJudgment and Decision MakingOperation and ControlReading Comprehension

Work context

Frequent contact with othersDecision latitudeRepeating tasksIndoor controlled setting

Source: O*NET 31.0 exact occupation - Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, SOC 47-4041.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers tasks, by AI exposure

We analyzed all 19 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers tasks - 1 automatable, 15 augmentable and 3 durable. The full task map - every task with exactly what to do about each - is in your Career Report.

Adjacent career paths

Relatedness shows how reachable a move may be. A path is labeled lower exposure only when its score is at least 6 points lower; every row shows the measured difference.

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