How much do hazardous materials removal workers make in Florida in 2026?

The median pay for a hazardous materials removal worker in Florida is $42,350 per year, which works out to roughly $20.36 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That's the middle of the pack — half the workers in this trade in Florida earn more, half earn less. If you're just starting out or working a lower-paying job site, you're likely looking at the 25th percentile: $38,320 annually, or about $18.42 an hour. Workers with more experience, specialized certifications, or jobs on higher-hazard sites push into the 75th percentile at $50,310 per year, roughly $24.19 an hour.

That $12,000 spread between the bottom quarter and the top quarter is worth paying attention to. In this trade, the difference usually comes down to certification level, the type of material you're licensed to handle, and the employer you work for. Workers certified for asbestos abatement, lead paint removal, and nuclear decontamination typically command more than those limited to a single hazard category. The more endorsements on your credentials, the more leverage you have on pay.

Florida's construction and renovation activity keeps demand for hazmat removal workers steady. Older commercial buildings, schools, and multi-family housing built before 1980 require licensed abatement before demolition or renovation can legally proceed. That regulatory requirement doesn't go away when construction slows — if anything, remediation and demo work often picks up during downturns when owners convert or tear down aging properties. Coastal areas like Miami-Dade, Tampa Bay, and Jacksonville tend to have higher concentrations of pre-1980 structures and active redevelopment, which translates to more consistent work availability in those metro areas.

The work itself is physically demanding and involves real health and safety risks. Workers wear full personal protective equipment for extended shifts, follow strict decontamination protocols, and are subject to air monitoring and medical surveillance under OSHA and EPA regulations. That regulatory burden on employers supports wages — companies can't cut corners with untrained, cheaper labor the way they might in less regulated trades.

Overtime is common on this work. Many abatement projects run on tight schedules tied to construction timelines, and employers frequently pay overtime to keep projects on track. A worker earning the median $20.36 an hour who regularly logs 50-hour weeks would see gross weekly pay well above the standard 40-hour calculation, meaningfully increasing annual take-home.

No union scale data was available for hazardous materials removal workers in Florida at the time this page was compiled. Some workers in this trade are covered by construction-sector union agreements that include hazmat provisions, but those contracts vary by employer and region. If you're evaluating a union job offer, compare the posted wage scale directly against the BLS percentiles listed here to understand where it falls.

Entry-level workers in Florida typically need a 40-hour OSHA HAZWOPER certification before they can work on regulated sites. Asbestos abatement specifically requires state licensure through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Lead abatement work requires EPA RRP (Renovate, Repair, and Paint) certification or full lead abatement worker training. Each additional certification typically opens the door to higher-paying job types and gives workers more options when negotiating pay with employers.

All figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. BLS OEWS figures represent wages for employees and do not include self-employed workers. Hourly rates shown are derived by dividing annual figures by 2,080 hours.