A middle-aged woman has been found dead at a Winnipeg recycling plant.

Public information officer Jay Murray says workers found the body while sorting through recycling materials and alerted police Friday evening.

Murray told reporters yesterday there is limited information available right now, and police don't want to rule out any possibilities, but investigators believe the body was transported from a secondary location to the recycling facility in the 100 block of Omand's Creek Boulevard. He said police are trying to identify the woman and notify her next of kin.

"This is somebody's... loved one, and I think it's absolutely appalling that this person was treated like a piece of trash or recyclable material. I don't think society will tolerate this at any level. Someone or some people out there have information that will help us with this investigation, and it's absolutely crucial-- it's a moral obligation-- that those people come forward to police immediately and help us bring closure not only to this person's family but to anyone who knew this individual."

Murray said police can't officially call the death a homicide yet; an autopsy will likely happen today or tomorrow. Still, it is the homicide unit investigating. Murray said there's a lot of work ahead for investigators, and this will require some patience.

"It's a monumental task they have in front of them and one that they've been working on since the moment that this female was discovered. Investigators, I don't know if they've slept at all yet," said Murray Saturday afternoon. "There's a big investigation ahead."

Anyone with information is asked to call 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers.