A tragic discovery brought operations at a major recycling plant to a standstill after a crane operator found a man's body amongst the waste he was moving.
Discovery Halts Operations at Waste Facility
The incident occurred at the Haverton Hill recycling centre in Billingham, County Durham. The facility is operated by the waste management company Suez. A crane operator working at the site made the grim discovery on the morning of 14 January 2026. He immediately alerted the authorities upon seeing the body within the waste he was processing.
Emergency services were swiftly dispatched to the scene. Police confirmed the man was pronounced dead at the location. He has been formally identified as Nicholas Milburn. The exact circumstances leading to his death at the recycling centre are currently unknown and form the basis of the police inquiry.
Police Launch Investigation
Following the discovery, all operations at the Haverton Hill recycling centre were suspended to allow for a thorough police investigation. Forensic teams and officers were seen conducting a detailed examination of the area where the body was found.
A police cordon was established around a significant section of the waste site as detectives worked to piece together the events that led to the tragedy. The suspension of operations caused significant disruption to the facility's normal waste processing activities.
Ongoing Inquiry and Community Impact
The investigation is in its early stages, with police treating the death as unexplained. Officers are likely to be pursuing several lines of enquiry, which may include reviewing site security footage, interviewing staff who were on shift, and conducting a forensic post-mortem examination.
The death has sent shockwaves through the local community in Billingham and the wider workforce involved in waste management and recycling. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may also be notified as part of standard procedure for a workplace incident of this nature.
The recycling centre remains closed pending the conclusion of the initial police investigation. Further updates are expected as the inquiry progresses and more information becomes available.
