A furniture company that fly-tipped two tons of rubbish was caught when investigators found a £20 takeaway pizza receipt among the waste. EMM Furniture Ltd left the waste on the grounds of Royal Blackburn Hospital in Lancashire in April last year, prompting an investigation by council chiefs.
Investigation launched after tip-off
Blackburn with Darwen Council officers received an anonymous tip-off from a member of the public, along with a picture of two people fly-tipping waste from a van. Photos from the site showed large clear bin bags full of commercial rubbish, pieces of wood, and other waste dumped in surrounding shrubbery and hanging from trees.
During the investigation, officers found the pizza receipt, which had an address later revealed to belong to EMM Furniture. The order included an 18-inch Asian Special Pizza (£12.99), one large chips (£1.99), two tubs of garlic sauce (80p), and a Coke bottle (£2.70), with a £2 delivery fee. After a meal deal discount, the order came to £20.
Court action and fine
Officers visited the address and found waste bags matching those left at the site, as well as the van used in the offence. Burnley Magistrates’ Court ordered EMM Furniture, based in Ruskin Street, Burnley, to pay a £20,000 fine, £539 in council costs, and £354 in compensation for clearing the waste, following a hearing on July 24.
A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesperson said: ‘This case shows that fly-tippers can and will be identified, no matter how hard they try to cover their tracks. A huge thank you to everyone involved in this investigation, especially the member of the public who reported the incident and our partners at Burnley Council.’
