Sunderland shop fined after failing to provide waste disposal documents
“As a council, we will continue to take enforcement action against businesses that fail to meet their legal obligations”
A city food store has been left with a court bill of £848 after failing to provide records on how it disposed of its waste.
Barakah Retail in Chester Road, Sunderland, was summoned to appear at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
The shop was prosecuted by Sunderland City Council after failing to pay a £300 fixed penalty notice for not providing documentation about its waste disposal. The request for documentation was made in June last year as the council began enquiries following complaints by residents about waste from shops in Chester Road.
The complaints included accumulations of trade waste in lanes at the rear of Chester Road.
Officers from the council’s Community Safety Team served notices on the stores to produce Waste Information Notes and prove lawful disposal, as required under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This sets down how businesses are legally required to retain Waste Information Notes for up to two years to demonstrate compliance with waste disposal regulations.
Barakah Retail failed to provide the information within the required seven days and received a fixed penalty notice of £300.
The store failed to settle the penalty notice and was prosecuted by the council.
Representatives of the store admitted the offence of failing to provide the relevant documentation when the case was heard by magistrates on Tuesday 13 October. Magistrates imposed a fine of £270, a victim surcharge of £108 and costs of £470. A total court bill of £848.
The City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Enforcement, Councillor Bill Blackett said: "Businesses must comply with waste management laws to ensure that trade waste is disposed of responsibly. Failure to do so not only harms the environment, it undermines other businesses that do follow the rules and correct procedures to help keep our city clean.
"As a council, we will continue to take enforcement action against businesses that fail to meet their legal obligations."
Anyone with concerns about waste, littering and fly-tipping can report incidents at sunderland.gov.uk