The three-part series, presented by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor and developed in collaboration with ENDS Report and De Groene Amsterdammer, traced the death of a boy whose body was found in a bale of recycled plastic, exposing a wider network of exploitation and criminality behind Europe's waste export trade. The investigation prompted calls in the UK Parliament for a ban on plastic waste exports and drew responses from MPs, the Green Party and members of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee.
This is not the first recognition for the project: Boy Wasted has already picked up multiple awards and shortlist nominations since its release, cementing its place among the standout environmental investigations of the past year. The finalists for the Dig Awards 2026 will be announced in the end of September at the DIG Festival 2026.
