Published: 20/03/2010 09:00 -
Updated: 19/03/2010 12:12
HARLOW Council has backed down over plans to issue “crippling” waste fines on businesses in one of Harlow’s neighbourhood shopping centres.
Environment officers had visited shops at The Stow, pictured right, and demanded to see two years’ worth of paperwork about their arrangements for the disposal of waste.
Business owners said they were given until last Thursday to produce the paperwork or pay a £300 penalty. The fine could go up to £5,000 if challenged in court.
One businessman, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had never been asked for records before, despite the requirement originating in legislation dating back to the 1990s.
“We have not had any warning about this and yet there is absolutely no movement or flexibility,” he said. “A £300 fine to a small business is absolutely crippling – and all for not keeping a couple of bits of paper saying that we get rid of our waste the right way.
“I don’t have an audit trail,” he said. “I’ve told them this but they said I needed waste transit notes for two years.”
Local Liberal Democrat councillor Robert Thurston told the Star: “Many of these businesses told me they were disposing of the waste properly and could have had these notices but didn’t know they needed them.
“Now it’s not possible to get them for two years ago. We all want businesses to follow the rules but we also expect a bit of leniency from the council.”
However, the council has now softened its hardline approach after being told of the traders’ concerns by the Star.
Councillor Tony Hall, chairman of the council’s environment and community committee, said: “We started carrying out these checks in the last two weeks to ensure businesses are complying with their waste responsibilities under the Environmental Protection Act.
“However, due to a widespread lack of knowledge we have decided to carry out an education and awareness programme across the town over the next few weeks.”
He said formal checks will resume in six months time for most small businesses. Until then the council will focus on businesses already aware of the regulations, producing certain types of waste or working on a national scale.
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