A west London dry cleaning business and its director have been fined more than £10,000 after hazardous commercial waste was discovered dumped in a Redbridge nature reserve.
Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd and director Shazia Nadeer were prosecuted by Redbridge Council following an investigation into a large-scale fly-tip at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve, an extension of Fairlop Waters Country Park.
The council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement Team was alerted to the incident by the local community. At the scene on Painters Road in Ilford, officers found three large piles of waste. One contained blue dry-cleaning bags, cardboard boxes and plastic chemical bottles.
Two large open metal drums were discovered lying on their sides, containing remnants of super stabilised perchloroethylene – a hazardous, colourless liquid used in the dry-cleaning industry that poses health risks to humans and is harmful to the environment. Empty bottles of another dry-cleaning chemical, Jolly Smak, were also found at the site.
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.’
The investigation linked the waste to Palm Dry Cleaners and Nadeer. When questioned, Nadeer could not provide verifiable evidence or legal documentation showing how the business disposed of its waste.
Appearing at Barkingside Magistrates Court, Nadeer pleaded guilty to two waste offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. She was fined and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £3,773, while the company was ordered to pay £7,004. The combined total came to £10,777.
Redbridge Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Community Safety and Cohesion, Cllr Sunny Brar 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.’
Separate investigations are underway regarding the other piles of waste discovered at the nature reserve.
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