A search is under way for a potentially careless member of the British establishment after an OBE medal was found at a waste-sorting depot in east London.

It is unclear whether the medal was discarded by mistake, thrown away in disgust at government policy or just dumped as a worthless gong.

In any case, the Envirowaste depot in Leyton, where the OBE was found, is seeking to reunite it with its owner or the recipient’s family.

The medal, or badge as it is formally known, was found attached to a crimson ribbon in a black presentation box together with instructions on when and how it should be worn and what should be done with it after the recipient dies.

The instructions read: “The insignia is not returnable on death, but should be retained by the person legally entitled to receive it under the terms of the deceased’s will.”

The OBE was found at the end of November as workers were sifting through rubbish from house and office clearances.

Envirowaste’s owner, James Rubin, said it was impossible to trace where the OBE came from, because the depot deals with waste from up 30 clearances a day.

“We come across some weird and wonderful things on hauls, but this really is something that needs to find its way home,” he said.

The OBE is not weirdest item Rubin’s company has found. “We’ve had a whole human skeleton, stuffed animals, sex toys from the 1930s and lockers full of brand new iPads,” he said.

“People hide all sorts of things under mattresses or in drawers that haven’t been gone through.”

Asked to guess how the OBE had been discarded, Rubin said: “It was probably left by mistake in a pile for house clearance, possibly from someone who recently died.

“If you have any information or know of anybody who’s lost an OBE in the London area please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”