A dry cleaning business based in west London was fined more than £10,000 after illegally dumping hazardous waste in a Redbridge nature reserve.
Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd and its director, Shazia Nadeer, were handed a combined £10,777 fine after a pile of waste was discovered in Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve.
Redbridge Council enforcement officers discovered blue dry-cleaning bags, cardboard boxes and plastic chemical bottles in Painters Road.
Two large metal drums, found laying on their sides, contained remnants of perchloroethylene, a colourless chemical used within the dry-cleaning industry that can be hazardous to both people and the environment if not disposed of properly.
One of the investigating enforcement officers, Ron Clayden, said: “It was a large‑scale, deliberate illegal waste deposit – one of the most complex we’ve encountered within the borough.
“We spent three days meticulously examining the waste to identify any evidence that would lead to bringing those responsible to account.”
Nadeer, 51, was unable to provide the officers with any evidence or documentation to show how the business disposed of the waste, including which measures it had taken to ensure it was disposed of safely and securely.
He was hauled in front of Barkingside Magistrates Court on 12th May, where he pleaded guilty.
Nadeer’s fine, on top of a victim surcharge and council costs, totalled £3,773. Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd was ordered to pay a further £7,004.
Councillor Sunny Brar, the cabinet member for enforcement, community safety and cohesion, said: “This deplorable violation of our nature reserve is quite rightly being met with the toughest of legal actions.
“We have zero tolerance for grime crime in Redbridge. All businesses are required to dispose of their commercial waste legally and responsibly and must have the required documentation to demonstrate how they do this.
“This prosecution should serve as a warning to businesses acting unlawfully that we will use the full weight of the law to secure the toughest sentences if your waste is found dumped in Redbridge.”