Cafe employees caught committing serious offense after prior warnings: 'A threat to public health'

One cafe is now on the hook for a hefty fine after being caught improperly maintaining its waste collection area. 

As the Ilford Recorder reported, the Cha Sha cafe in Ilford, England, will have to pay a £4,675 fine, or just over $6,100, for purposefully ignoring multiple warnings regarding its trash. 

According to Redbridge Council, the business was issued a legal notice under the Environmental Protection Act for the improper storage and management of its commercial waste. 

However, after an unannounced inspection by officials, it was determined that the Cha Sha cafe had not corrected the previous infractions, despite multiple warnings. 

The inspection found that a commercial dumpster was unlocked and overfilled with trash. The cafe was also accused of having open bags of waste and loose trash scattered on the ground that may have attracted small animals, creating additional health concerns. 

"Failure to store waste correctly is a threat to public health," said Redbridge Council cabinet member for community safety Khayer Chowdhury. "We have zero tolerance for grime crime in our borough. It's up to all of us to keep Redbridge clean and tidy, and this includes businesses." 

Overflowing dumpsters can negatively impact the environment by increasing the likelihood of litter, as well as the potential for soil and water pollution from chemicals that may leach from trash bags. They can also create unpleasant odors for the surrounding area, contributing to air pollution.

Restaurants use a large number of storage bags and food containers, which are typically made from plastic. This contributes to the planet's massive amount of plastic waste, which takes decades to biodegrade. Plastic items can also shed microplastics, which are a growing human health concern.  

"This prosecution should be a warning that we are taking tough action against those businesses that don't act responsibly with waste," added Chowdhury.

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