Modern slavery/human trafficking in the waste and recycling industry
Freedom of Information Act request.
Ref: FOI 24-25 19
Date issued: 22 January 2025
Subject: Modern slavery/human trafficking in the waste and recycling industry
Question:
1. The number of reports the GLAA has received in the last five years (1 January 2019 - 24 December 2024) regarding individuals, labour users, or labour providers who are suspected of modern slavery and human trafficking in the recycling and waste industry.
2. Internal reports or briefings produced or commissioned by the GLAA in the last five years (1 January 2019 - 24 December 2024) relating to modern slavery and/or human trafficking in the recycling and waste industry.
Response:
1. Six (6) General Issue referrals were logged by the GLAA during the period you have requested that were indexed to the recycling sector (including waste disposal) and linked to MS1 (Slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour) or MS2 (Human Trafficking) allegations.
The GLAA also logged 112 Intelligence reports during the period you have requested that were indexed to the recycling sector (including waste disposal). However, due to the way in which Intelligence reports are logged, we are unable to determine accurately how many were linked to modern slavery and / or human trafficking.
The above data was correct and as available on 07/01/2025. The above data is likely skewed by a number a variables including (but not limited to) GLAA data recording processes and inconsistencies in the recording of information / intelligence.
2. This information is not recorded. However, through manual searching, we were able to find the following three communications produced by the GLAA: