A Dagenham jewellers has been fined a total of £1,385 for failing to provide records that showed how it disposed of its waste. 

During a routine trade waste inspection in July 2017, council officers visited a jewellers at 2a Lodge Avenue in Dagenham. 

Mr Nsubidi Batuba, the shop owner, tried to hide a bag of waste and told officers that he had previously been fined £1,433 for failing to produce Waste Transfer Notes. 

Mr Batuba was advised that the earlier fine was separate to the current inspection and he was still required by law to prove that he was currently disposing of his waste in accordance with waste regulations.

Officers asked Mr Batuba to produce Waste Transfer Notes for his general and recycled waste for the previous year. Businesses must keep copies of their Waste Transfer Notes for up to two years to prove they are lawfully disposing of their waste.

Every business in Barking and Dagenham must dispose of waste properly and safely to ensure it doesn’t cause any harm to health or pollute and spoil our environment. 

Mr Batuba was unable to provide a copy of his Waste Transfer Notes and was issued a £300 fixed penalty notice. After he failed to pay the fines he was summoned to court. 

On Friday 31 May 2019, at Barkingside Magistrates Court, Mr Batuba was found guilty and ordered to pay £350 in fines and a £35 Victim Surcharge. In addition, he was ordered to pay £1,000 costs to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. 

We’re working hard to crack down on businesses that shirk their responsibilities on waste management, including persistent offenders. This case clearly shows that any business that flouts the law will face heavy fines.

Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: “Businesses have a legal responsibility to dispose of their waste properly – they must ensure that the person who takes away their waste is authorised to do so and they must keep records. 

“Every business in Barking and Dagenham must dispose of waste properly and safely to ensure it doesn’t cause any harm to health or pollute and spoil our environment. 

“We’re working hard to crack down on businesses that shirk their responsibilities on waste management, including persistent offenders. This case clearly shows that any business that flouts the law will face heavy fines.”