A Dagenham business has been fined a total of £1,668 for failing to provide records that showed how it disposed of its waste.
During a routine trade waste inspection in July 2018, council officers visited a car repair shop at Unit 6a, VW House, Selinas Lane in Dagenham. Officers came across a large amount of waste including car parts, gas bottles and overflowing trade waste bins and identified that the waste belonged to the car repair shop.
Mr Vasile Stirbo, the shop owner, was asked to produce Waste Transfer Notes for his general and recycled waste, used car parts, and waste engine oil. Businesses must keep copies of their Waste Transfer Notes for up to two years to prove they are lawfully disposing of their waste.
After Mr Stirbo confirmed that he also took his business waste to a local recycle centre, officers asked him to produce a valid waste carrier licence for his business waste.
Mr Stirbo was unable to provide copies of both documents and was issued two £300 fixed penalty notices. After he failed to pay the fines he was summoned to court. On Friday 12 April 2019, at Barkingside Magistrates Court, Mr Stirbo was found guilty and ordered to pay £800 in fines, a £40 victim surcharge and £828 costs to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
“Local businesses must follow the right guidelines and any that fail to comply with the law on waste management will face heavy fines.”
Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: “Businesses that operate in Barking and Dagenham have a legal responsibility to dispose of their waste properly – they must also ensure that the person who takes away their waste is authorised to do so and they must keep records.
“We take a very strong view on this: business waste must be disposed of properly and safely to ensure it doesn’t cause any harm to health or pollute and spoil our environment.
“Local businesses must follow the right guidelines and any that fail to comply with the law on waste management will face heavy fines.”