Human leg and body parts found at Dublin recycling plant

Police are searching for the rest of the body to identify the person

Gardai at the scene after a human leg was found at the Thornton's Recycling plant in west Dublin. (PA)

A human leg has been found at a recycling plant in Dublin, prompting speculation that a homeless person may have been accidentally crushed.

Police were searching waste at Thornton’s recycling centre in Ballyfermot after the gruesome discovery late on Thursday night for the rest of the body.

A second part has been discovered, said by the Irish Independent to be an arm, but Ireland’s gardai could not confirm whether the remains belonged to a man or a woman.

While murder has not been ruled out, one avenue being investigated is that a person may have been accidentally crushed by machinery.

A 43-year-old homeless man was crushed in a collection lorry at another Dublin recycling centre, Ballymount, in August last year.

Henryk Piotrowski, from Poland, had been sleeping unnoticed in an industrial bin and police believe he died when the contents of the skip was crushed.

The tragedy prompted calls for better protection for homeless people in Dublin, who are bedding down in bins for shelter in increasing numbers.

In February, another man escaped a similar fate when he was tipped from an industrial bin into a compacting truck.

Workers heard him shouting seconds before he would have been crushed.

A spokesman for Ireland’s national police service said officers were called after the leg was discovered at around 11.30pm on Thursday.

He added: “The area has been sealed off for a technical examination.

“We can confirm that a second body part was found, but not in a position to assist any further.”

A post-mortem on the gathered parts was due to take place on Friday afternoon.

A spokesman for Thorntons recycling declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.