Waste management company SUEZ says there has been a 42% increase in serious verbal and physical abuse by members of the public towards frontline staff.
The figures were released as SUEZ recycling and recovery UK (SUEZ) launched a campaign to curb aggression against waste and recycling workers.
Last year, there were 318 reported encounters where aggression was directed towards a SUEZ staff member.
Just over 240 of these happened at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) with Devon & Cornwall and Greater Manchester being the areas where the most aggressive and abusive events occurred, with 64 incidents each.
A close second were London and the South East where staff dealt with 54 abusive or violent incidents –35 occurred at just the Barrowell Green recycling centre in Enfield.
We want to ensure this upward trend in verbal and physical assaults does not continue.
‘We Refuse Abuse’ will run throughout August to highlight the almost daily occurrences of violence and aggression against SUEZ collection crews, street cleansing workers and staff based at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs).
SUEZ has created a short film as part of the campaign that shares attacks captured on CCTV and bodycams which range from aggression towards recycling centre staff to a member of the public vandalising a manned street cleansing vehicle with a screwdriver.
The film also shows the impact of this type of aggression on two workers in the South West who were threatened and attacked by members of the public.
Simon Collett had an unknown liquid thrown in his face whilst his colleague James Maughn was told he would ‘have his throat ripped out’ by a visitor to the HWRC.
Commenting on the campaign, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK CEO, John Scanlon said: “Millions of people use recycling centres every year – the overwhelming majority of these visitors are wonderful and the main reason many of our colleagues enjoy their front-facing roles.
“However, a very small minority of aggressive individuals have caused members of our team enormous stress and upset and we want to ensure this upward trend in verbal and physical assaults does not continue.”