A Maryport takeaway owner has been fined £2,000 for dumping rotting food and waste oil in West Cumbria.
Abdulreza Moghadam, 45, who owns Atish on Senhouse Street, admitted the offence and said he had paid a man with a van to take the waste – which also included packaging and receipts – away.
He was prosecuted by Cumberland Council, which said the waste was hazardous and posed a significant risk to the environment.
Moghadam was also ordered to pay £1,182.60 compensation to the landowner, an £800 surcharge and £150 costs.
This was one of three cases Cumberland Council has prosecuted successfully recently.
A man from Workington was fined £230 for leaving a sofa on a street. The authority said it had attempted to resolve the issue, but the man had failed to respond.
He pleaded guilty and was also ordered to pay £150 costs and a £92 surcharge.
A woman from Workington admitted fly-tipping. The court fined her £480, with £150 costs and an £192 surcharge.
Darren Crossley, director of place, sustainable growth and transport at the council, said: “I want to thank the residents who use the recycling facilities properly, by doing so these locations remain clean, tidy, and presentable for others to use, which does encourage the correct use of the facilities.
“We do appreciate the efforts of people doing this.
“However, I want to emphasise that Cumberland Council take environmental crimes seriously. All environmental crimes will be investigated which may mean that individuals are prosecuted. We encourage people who have been sent a letter or requested to attend an interview to engage with us.
“We would like to remind residents that they should pass on their waste on to an authorised person/company, details can be checked easily by visiting the Environment Agency website to check the public register. As they are responsible for their waste if it is found fly-tipped, they have a duty of care to dispose of it correctly.
“Fly-tipping and environmental crimes are not only irresponsible and un-neighbourly, and it can have detrimental effects to our region, including, encouraging vermin, poisoning natural habitat, and can also be hazardous too.
“I would like to encourage us all to help keep our area as beautiful as it should be, continue to recycle properly, and if you see any fly-tipping in your area, please let us know.”
