Convenience store operator prosecuted after council's unannounced inspection
A man who ran a convenience store in Great Yarmouth has been prosecuted for not disposing of trade waste properly.
The council carried out an unannounced food hygiene inspection at the Family Food Halal store in King Street on June 16 last year and staff were asked to provide evidence of how they were dealing with their commercial waste.
After failing to provide any documentation within seven days, Great Yarmouth Borough Council issued the store's operator with a £400 fixed penalty notice. The penalty was not paid and court action was taken.
At Norwich Magistrates' Court on June 10, Zanko Karim Hamafaraj of Cyprus Road, Portsmouth, admitted an offence under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
After hearing the evidence, Hamafaraj was fined £400 and ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £160.
Councillor Paul Wells, Great Yarmouth Borough Council's portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste, said "Businesses are responsible for the waste they produce and are required to dispose of it properly.
''Disposing of waste illegally leads to fly-tipping and supports criminal activity, it also gives businesses operating unlawfully an unfair financial advantage. The council is committed to holding offenders to account to protect the community and support local businesses."
All waste from a business activity is considered commercial waste and people are required to take all reasonable steps to deal with it, including: preventing unauthorised or harmful deposit, treatment or disposal of waste; preventing the escape of waste by storing it safely and securely; and ensuring that anyone they transfer the waste to is authorised to take it.
Councillor Wells said "Businesses should ask people they give their waste to for evidence of their authorisation. Waste transfer documentation should be kept for at least two years and must be produced to an officer on demand within seven days. Failure to comply with the duty of care is an offence which carries an unlimited fine."
Anyone who needs advice on meeting their legal responsibilities can contact a member of the Environmental Health team at GYBC via [email protected] or by calling 01493 846478.
Further information about dealing with commercial waste can be found here: Waste duty of care: code of practice (accessible version) - GOV.UK
