Different Types of Sanitation Engineers

• Sanitation engineers will usually specialize in a particular type of waste disposal and receive training in the special precautions involved in handling one particular type of refuse. There are generally four categories of sanitation engineers: water and liquid waste plant operators; solid waste engineers; hazardous materials cleaners; and sewage maintenance engineers. Each industry is very different and offers different salaries to employees.
  
  

Water and Liquid Waste Plant Operators

• Water and liquid waste are usually handled at a plant that receives liquid waste from a variety of sources, usually by ground transport and networks of pipes and tubes from houses, factories and businesses. The men and women who operate these plants earned a median wage of $38,430 in May 2008, with the highest wage earners bringing in $59,860 before taxes.
  
  

Solid Waste Engineers

• Solid waste engineers are responsible for the transportation and processing of solid garbage from buildings to waste treatment centers, landfills and recycling centers. The most familiar solid waste engineer is a garbage collector who will make scheduled visits to homes and offices, although sanitation engineers also treat solid waste in processing plants by sorting and redistributing garbage. In 2010, these engineers earned a median wage of $33,900.
  
  

Hazardous Materials Cleaners

• Hazardous materials cleaners are responsible for the safe removal of hazardous materials. Because of the dangers involved in these materials, these engineers receive specialized training to perform their duties, and they consequently earn slightly more than garbage collectors. In 2010, hazardous materials cleaners earned a median wage of $37,160, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  
  

Sewage Maintenance Engineers

• Septic tanks and sewers require constant cleaning and removal of waste by experts trained in these processes. Sewage maintenance engineers are often employed by municipalities, but there are also many private septic tank engineers who service rural areas. The median wage for these workers was $31,700 in 2010.