Restaurant owner fined after waste fly-tipped on country road

A Suffolk restaurant owner has been fined after waste from his restaurant was found fly-tipped on a country road.

Nural Alam, owner of the Spice Garden in Risbygate Street, Bury St Edmunds, was charged with breaching a duty of care, which led to his waste being dumped.

Ipswich Magistrates' Court heard that rubbish including an oil fryer, black sacks and cardboard had been dumped on Rushbrooke Road, on the outskirts of the town, on or around 31 May this year.

When Alam was interviewed by officials from West Suffolk Council he said two diners at his restaurant had offered to take the waste to a recycling centre for £60. However, he was unable to provide their contact or van details and he failed to show a receipt for the disposal.

Just days earlier he had entered a commercial waste agreement with the local council, but failed to ask for disposal advice. Alam admitted the charge and was ordered to pay a fine of £359, court costs of £450 and victim surcharge of £35. He had previously paid West Suffolk Council £225 for removing the rubbish.

After the hearing, the council's director for operations, Mark Walsh, said: "Whether you are a resident or a business, it is an offence to pay someone who is not a licensed waste handler to dispose of your rubbish.

"Where we find evidence, we will prosecute those responsible for fly tipping including those who haven't taken precautionary steps to ensure the people they pay to dispose of waste on their behalf, are properly licensed to do so."