THE owner of a Middlesbrough takeaway has been fined for failing to secure the waste produced by his business. (Photos on Flickr)
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Azeem Latif was taken to court following the discovery of overflowing commercial bins behind the Bugsy Malones takeaway on Wilson Street.
During an inspection on April 8 last year, Environmental protection officers found a Biffa commercial waste bin unlocked and over-full, with a ‘huge’ amount of waste on the ground nearby.
Mr Latif was served with a notice under the Environmental Protection Act requiring him to ensure the bins were locked when not being filled or emptied, and that they were not over-filled.
A further inspection on April 26 revealed similar conditions, with takeaway waste piled up in black sacks and the bin still unlocked.
In interview Mr Latif said he did not know why the bin was unlocked and gave an undertaking to secure it in future. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice which he subsequently paid.
However when officers returned to the premises on September 5, they once again found an accumulation of black refuse sacks, and swarms of small black flies were reported.
Mr Latif was served with a notice under the Public Health Act at his home address in Lansdowne Road, Middlesbrough, requiring him to remove the waste.
Further inquiries revealed the bin had not been emptied by Biffa since July 22 due to the non-payment of bills.
Another inspection in October yet again revealed large quantities of commercial waste, an unlocked bin and unhygienic conditions.
Mr Latif was subsequently charged with two offences of failing to comply with a waste receptacle notice and appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (February 21) when he represented himself.
He pleaded guilty to both offences and was fined £200 for each and ordered to pay costs of £200 and a £15 surcharge.
Councillor Julia Rostron, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Community Protection, said: “It’s vital that the food served by Middlesbrough’s food businesses is prepared in clean, hygienic conditions, and it is equally important that the waste generated is disposed of in a safe and hygienic manner.
“Middlesbrough Council has a duty to protect the health of people in the town, and we are happy to offer advice and support to businesses to ensure they meet their legal obligations.
“This defendant was given a number of opportunities to comply with the law but persistently failed do so, thereby creating a serious risk to public health.
“In such circumstances we will not hesitate to take immediate action to safeguard the public at large, and these fines show the courts take these matters seriously as well.”
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