Analysis
NAICS 56211 is the 2022 NAICS industry for waste collection, part of 5621 (Waste Collection). Census lists 30 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 11% and employment rose 18%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
County Business Patterns counts 13,064 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 263,050 people at an average annual payroll of $70,444 per employee (53rd percentile of national industries). 46% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Across its national industries Census lists 30 index entries; typical ones are ash collection services, hazardous waste collection services and brush collection services.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 48423, 56292, 42393 and 56221. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
It splits into 3 more detailed codes. The largest by establishments is 562111 (Solid Waste Collection) with 10,982.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) collecting and/or hauling hazardous waste, nonhazardous waste, and/or recyclable materials within a local area and/or (2) operating hazardous or nonhazardous waste transfer stations. Hazardous waste collection establishments may be responsible for the identification, treatment, packaging, and labeling of waste for the purposes of transport.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Long-distance trucking of waste | 48423 Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance |
| Operating facilities for separating and sorting recyclable materials from nonhazardous waste streams (i.e., garbage) and/or for sorting commingled recyclable materials, such as paper, plastics, and metal cans, into distinct categories | 56292 Materials Recovery Facilities |
| Merchant wholesaling automotive, industrial, and other recyclable materials | 42393 Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers |
| Collecting and/or hauling in combination with disposal of waste materials | 56221 Waste Treatment and Disposal |
Index entries (30)
- Ash collection services
- Hazardous waste collection services
- Brush collection services