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Litter hit squad fines shop for trying to recycle cardboard
Mark Prigg03.03.09
SMALL shops have been fined hundreds of pounds by council "hit squads" for trying to recycle their rubbish.
Managers today accused anti-litter teams of being "heavy-handed".
Shops have been served with penalty notices despite taking part in council-funded free recycling collections.
One shop has even been fined for using the "wrong colour" of bin bag.
Melbury & Appleton, a deli in Muswell Hill Broadway, said it has been fined £225 by Haringey council for three littering offences.
Director Claire Thomas, 44, said: "All we were doing was putting out cardboard boxes for recycling as part of a Haringey council-sponsored initiative."
Staff had left several cardboard boxes at the side of the road as instructed for a Thursday afternoon collection. However, Haringey's environmental monitoring teams entered the shop and berated staff, she claimed.
"They denied the recycling service existed, even though we have been using it for two years," said Mrs Thomas. "They were rude, aggressive and intimidating. A few days later three tickets arrived with a combined fine of £225, which we have refused to pay."
A spokeswoman for Haringey council said: "This was a genuine mix-up with our recycling providers who had offered Ms Thomas a free recycling trial but had not informed her it had ended and was now a paid-for service.
"We have already informed the shop that no further action will be taken."
The row comes after Haringey fined Muswell Hill boutique Charli £300 after staff used four black rubbish bags because the company that supply it with grey recycling bags had run out. Council officials imposed a £75 fine for each bag.
Reader views (22)
It is 'rubbish' to say that shops are being fined for recycling. This is about keeping the pavements free of stored waste and litter - which is also a laudable aim. However, many local councils misuse their powers and act unreasonably and should rightly be challenged.
- John Galvin, Ingatestone Essex
Haringey Council, isn't that the one that employs rubbish Social Services. It would seem the other departments are right up to the mark as well.
- Ayliff Mcnab, Spain
When the punishment for using the wrong color trash bag is more severe than for shoplifting, you know that something is very, very wrong.
- R M, London, UK
This whole recycle thing is fast becoming just another ‘Revenue Scam’, nothing more, nothing less.
- Carl Barron, Christchurch, Dorset
Ha ha ha - the whole of England and the way it is run by our government, councils and even NHS managers, is a total laughing stock. They have all lost the plot!
- Linda, LONDON ENGLAND
Just think ... if we had a concentration camp we could fill it with councillors and politicians ...
- Extra Terestrial, London England
Anarchy makes sense in todays Great Britain.
We have so many men in uniforms running around obeying orders; it feels like we lost the last world war.
Funny how a uniform and authority turns people into obedient soldiers; only obeying orders.
Sounds like; we have all been here before. Where is Dads Army?
- Mickyinlondon, london
I have just been arrested for putting out a cigerate on the pavement, was asked to pay an on the spot fine of £50.00p I refused, a Community Police Officer was then called. I was advised to put my cigerate out in the rubbish bin to which I replied but that would start a fire, I was then informed to stub the cigerate on top of the bin BUT is that not Defacing the bin and therefore commiting another Crime. Has this country got nothing better to do??
- Phil Gillbanks, London
and yet...
I agreed to a mutual exchange over two months ago, and Islington Council are downright refusing to process it.
- Tim, London, UK
Well done Haringay council! Keep looking after that Litter.
- Hatchet, Newcastle Australia
So now that she has to pay, what is she doing with her watse?
- Abiola Kwtng, London
I have no sympathy for business who flout the law then use attacking tactics to defend thier actions. Muswell Hill is just one section of Haringey that suffers from businesses dumping their waste illegaly. How lucky Ms. Thomas is to have a business in Muswell Hill. I live and work in Tottenham and businesses continualy dump rubbish then complain when the Council takes action. I pay for my rubbish collection so should she, not use a free schemes then complain when she gets caught out not wanting to pay. All to often enforcement action is concentrated on the so called deprived part of the borough while the Crouch End & Muswell Hill areas go un challenged, good on the officers who are doing a difficult job, trying to keep the environment clean whilst having to deal with people who feel they are priviledged & above the law.
- David, Tottenham, London
Can'nt help but think that some one is puling a fast one. I mean it was all going ok whilst on the recycling scheme was free. But when it ended and they had to pay problems arise, what were the contrators up to? surely they should have ensured the business was informed on the changes. Also I thought the law made businesses resposible for making waste collection arrangements, not the Council. Sounds like a load of rubbish to me
- John, London
Another sign of the poor public governance of Crash Gordon's Nu Labor. Everything to raise taxes just not very sure what to do with the tax money...
- Steveo, London, NW1
In small-town USA, the town police will often plant a shrub immediately in front of a speed-limit sign and install themselves with a radar gun immediately behind it. The speeding fines pay their salaries. The legal system is such that it's always cheaper to pay up than to defend oneself. (You plead "no contest" and so avoid any risk of a criminal record).
Likewise, councils see these draconian and arbitrary fines not as a last-resort form of law enforcement as was the intent, but as an easy way of getting extra income. It's high time that the law was changed to prohibit any authority from making a profit out of its own law-enforcement activities. Also fines for breaching complex regulations should be imposed only when the non-compliance is wilful and repeated.
- Nigel, London
individuals should have the right to take councils that are abusing the spirit, if not the letter of legislation to court to seek compensation and have the courts impose asbos on such maverick enforcers of petty and unwarranted intrusions into the honest endeavors of our nation of shopkeepers.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
Nu Labor go away!!
- Georgie, Islington, London
Well we can clearly see a skint council trying anything to raise money.
"What are we going to do to get unemployment down with all these people that have no skills" "I know litter police".
Gordon Brown is this your idea of helping businesses?
- Stephen Curry, Barnet
Left hand not knowing what the right is doing and everyone is a little Hitler now in New Labours New Society.
If the EU tell our puppet leaders that more red tape, rules and regulations are what has to happen, Labour will happily jump.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
I'd like to see them try this with the big supermarkets!
- Patrick, Dalston
There is very little point recycling cardboard, paper or glass at present due to the fact that it either ends up in a warehouse or landfill because it has no scrap value.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
This whole recycling fiasco gets worse by the day. Can't we have ONE standard system? I pity businesses in one area who have willing staff coming from, say, three other local areas, and nobody knows what is going on.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
