News-Takeaway owner fined after receipts and food waste found in layby

Some of the waste that was dumped

We took legal action against John Peart, of Davis Crescent in Langley Park, after neighbourhood wardens found the waste in a layby between Brandon and Brancepeth.

Among the rubbish was food waste, food cartons, wrappers, cardboard, and paper waste. There were also food order receipts for Baxter's Pizza and Grill in Chester-le-Street.

Request for interview

A letter was sent to Peart, the registered owner of Baxter's Pizza and Grill, requesting he contacted us about the rubbish.

When no response was received, Peart was issued with a formal notice and a date for interview, which he did not attend.

Failure to prevent waste being dumped

We outlined to Peterlee Magistrates Court that waste from Peart's business had found its way on to a public area of land, meaning he had failed to take measures to prevent it from being dumped.

The 60-year-old was found guilty of failing to take reasonable measures to prevent depositing of waste and was ordered to pay a £400 fine, £160 victim surcharge, and £431 costs, totalling £991.

Duty of care

Ian Hoult, our neighbourhood protection manager, said: "Businesses have a duty of care to handle their waste safely and within the law. Dumping waste has a negative impact on the environment and the wellbeing of surrounding communities. This is something that can be easily avoided by ensuring waste is disposed of correctly.

"Whether a resident or a business - if it's your waste, it's your responsibility. And as this case shows, we will act against those who fail to adhere to that responsibility."

Changes to food waste legislation

From April 2025, government legislation on business food waste is changing. Businesses with ten or more full time employees must have a separate food waste collection in place by April 2025, alongside their normal refuse and recycling collections.