Biffa modern slavery case: 8 things you need to know

Legal firm Leigh Day is seeking compensation on behalf of three victims of modern slavery who worked at a recycling plant owned by waste giant Biffa. Here’s what you need to know.

1 Britain’s ‘largest modern slavery ring’ was uncovered after a three-year investigaiton by police

In 2019, eight members of a Polish criminal gang were convicted of crimes including trafficking, conspiracy to require another to perform forced labour and money laundering. They were sentenced to between three and 11 years in prison.

Police began investigating in February 2015, after two victims escaped their captors and it emerged the gang had trafficked more than 400 Polish individuals.

2 A number of the victims worked at a Biffa recycling plant

At least three of the victims worked sorting rubbish for Biffa in 2015 and 2016, while under the control of the trafficking gang.

They had travelled from Poland to the UK following promises of a decent wage and secure work in the West Midlands. Instead, when they arrived, they were taken to stay in squalid, overcrowded houses and forced to work for as little as £10 a week.

3 The waste sector is particularly susceptible to modern slavery

The case against Biffa did not come as a surprise. ENDS has long been reporting that the waste sector has a problem with modern slavery, with evidence suggesting that two-thirds of modern slavery victims in the UK have been active in the waste industry.

4 The problem is being exacerbated by the pandemic

As sectors such as the hospitality industry are forced to close down due to restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19, anti-trafficking charity Hope For Justice is concerned that more modern slavery victims may be being trafficked into the waste sector, which is continuing to operate.

5 Biffa has said it is working to raise awareness of the of modern slavery in the waste sector

It became a founding member of the Slave-Free Alliance in 2018, which is part of Hope for Justice, and launched a campaign last year where it rebranded its trucks with anti-slavery messages.

The firm has also put a number of measures in place to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2015 and 2016. These include only procuring under the code of ethics of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply.

Biffa modern slavery case: 8 things you need to know

Legal firm Leigh Day is seeking compensation on behalf of three victims of modern slavery who worked at a recycling plant owned by waste giant Biffa. Here’s what you need to know.

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