Restaurant at the centre of local fly-tipping complaints fined over £7000 following Redbridge Council led court prosecution

A Chadwell Heath restaurant that failed to store its commercial waste properly, and repeatedly fly-tipped in its neighbourhood leaving the local area looking messy, has been successfully prosecuted by Redbridge Council.

Million’s Lounge & Restaurant was known to the council following on-going issues relating to the mismanagement of the business’s commercial waste. Community complaints were also raised about the restaurant dumping its rubbish in the local area.

The High Road based restaurant was placed under regular inspections after being issued with a legal notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which makes specific requirements as to how commercial waste should be stored.

During compliance checks Redbridge Enforcement Officers discovered the restaurant’s waste bins on land belonging to other businesses.

They also discovered multiple black sacks and other loose rubbish nearby, which included used shisha smoking materials; kitchen, bar, and party waste, as well as bags of rotting raw food, large quantities of food and bar order tickets, and metal ventilation ducting - all originating from Million’s Lounge and Restaurant.

Evidence of rats and vermin infestations stemming from the rotting food and waste was also found at the location.

Court action was taken against the restaurant after earlier efforts by the Council’s Enforcement Team to engage with the business had limited effect.

Company Director, Mohsin Rashid aged 32, and Millions Group of Companies Ltd were summonsed to Barkingside Magistrates Court, charged with four offences of fly-tipping and two offences of failing to comply with an Environmental Protection Act waste management notice.

On Tuesday 13 February Rashid appeared in court and, on behalf of Millions Group of Companies Ltd, pleaded ‘guilty’ to the six charges, leading to a fine and order to pay Court and Council costs, all totalling £7,675.

Redbridge Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, Cllr Khayer Chowdhury, said: “We all have a responsibility to keep our borough clean and tidy, and this includes businesses. The failure to correctly store commercial waste presents a threat to the environment and public health, as well as being an eyesore for local communities. The majority of our local businesses act responsibly and store their commercial waste properly. But for those who aren’t doing this or think they can get away with fly-tipping their rubbish, this prosecution should serve as a strong warning that Redbridge Council will continue taking tough action against those businesses who refuse to act responsibly and legally when disposing of their waste.”

Businesses are required by law to either dispose of their commercial waste using a registered trade waste carrier licenced by the Environment Agency, or if the business has the correct type of waste carrier’s licence – it can transport its own commercial waste to a waste transfer site and ensure a waste transfer note is received for it.

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