The duties of a sanitation worker vary based on the type of position. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sanitation work is divided into several categories, including garbage and recycling collection, waste remediation, and materials recovery. If you are a garbage or recycling collector or haul waste, your main responsibilities are to drive a truck on a pre-assigned route to empty trash and recycling bins or to haul away large items. Sanitation workers who work at water treatment centers or facilities that handle sewage operate equipment designed to collect, clean, treat, and sterilize water so that it is sanitary enough to be returned to the water supply or used in agriculture or land management.