Associated Waste Management was commenting after an inquest held on Friday (December 12) into the death of the unidentified infant – who was found on a conveyor belt at the firm’s Shipley materials recycling facility (MRF) in September 2013.
Worker Gary Normington made the discovery while sorting glass and paper at the MRF on Canal Road – 18 months after the body of a baby girl was found at the same plant under similar circumstances.
Mike Robinson, group marketing manager at AWM, told letsrecycle.com that some of its workers had taken up offers of support such as counselling in the aftermath of the incident.
Asked whether other businesses could ever brace their workers for a similar incident, Mr Robinson said it was impossible to prepare for such an event.
Mr Robinson said: “Everyone who worked at the site was offered support. Support was offered from shift management level and was taken up by our workers.
“I don’t think there is any way you can prepare for something like this. We would echo the sentiments of the West Yorkshire police in we have a huge concern for the mother of the baby and would ask anyone who has any information to come forward.”
Verdict
Coroner Oliver Longstaff concluded the inquest, recording an open verdict on the death. A spokesperson at the coroner’s office confirmed that the identity of the mother or baby was still unknown.
Following the inquest, senior investigating officer, detective superintendent Mark Ridley, said: “Despite a thorough investigation into this matter, we still have not identified the mother of this child.
“Our overriding concern is her long-term welfare and we need to confirm that she is okay, both physically and psychologically. We are also keen to hear from anyone else who believes they might know the identity of the mother of this child.”
Established in 2000, AWM operates from several waste and recycling sites within West Yorkshire, including Shipley and Armley, Leeds, and satellite operations in York and Selby.
The firm’s Shipley MRF on Canal Road was opened in 2008 at the cost of £3 million, and is one of four plants helping to process over 320,000 tonnes of trade waste handled by the company every year.
Mr Robinson added that it was ‘very unfortunate’ that the two incidents had occurred at the Canal Road facility within 18 months of each other.
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