A dry cleaning business and its director have been ordered to pay a combined £10,777 after hazardous commercial waste was traced to a fly-tip at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve in Redbridge.
Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd, based in King Street, Hammersmith, and company director Shazia Nadeer were prosecuted by Redbridge Council after enforcement officers investigated waste dumped at the nature reserve on Painters Road, Ilford. The site is an extension of Fairlop Waters Country Park and is used by local residents and wildlife.
Nadeer, 51, pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 12 May to two waste offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The offences related to failing to take all reasonable measures to prevent the unlawful deposit of controlled waste and failing to produce required waste transfer notes.
Hazardous waste found at a wildlife site
The investigation began after members of the local community alerted Redbridge Council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement Team to a large fly-tip at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve.
When officers arrived, they found three large and separate piles of waste. One pile contained commercial material including blue dry-cleaning bags, cardboard boxes and plastic chemical bottles.
Officers also found two large open metal drums lying on their sides. According to the council, the drums contained remnants of super stabilised perchloroethylene, a hazardous liquid used in the dry-cleaning industry.
The chemical can pose risks to human health and the environment, and must be disposed of safely. Empty bottles of Jolly Smak, another chemical used in dry-cleaning processes, were also found at the site, creating further concern for the surrounding nature reserve.
The case adds to a wider pattern of councils using evidence-led enforcement against fly-tipping, including action at another fly-tipping hotspot where fines and physical barriers were used.
Three-day search through dumped material
Redbridge enforcement officer Ron Clayden said the waste deposit was “large-scale” and deliberate, and described the case as one of the most complex encountered in the borough.
Officers spent three days examining the dumped material for evidence. Follow-up enquiries linked the commercial waste to Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd and Nadeer.
When questioned, Nadeer was unable to provide verifiable evidence or legal documentation showing how the business disposed of its waste. She was also unable to show what measures had been taken to ensure waste was handled safely and securely to prevent leaks or spills.
Waste transfer notes are a core part of the commercial waste system. They create a paper trail showing who produced the waste, who collected it and where it was taken. For businesses handling chemical waste, that record can be central to proving lawful disposal.
Court penalties for the business and director
At Barkingside Magistrates Court, Nadeer was fined and ordered to pay a victim surcharge and council costs totalling £3,773.
Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd was separately fined and ordered to pay a victim surcharge and council costs totalling £7,004.
Together, the court-imposed fines and costs came to £10,777.
Redbridge Council said the prosecution should serve as a warning to businesses that commercial waste must be disposed of legally and responsibly. The council also said businesses must hold the required documentation to prove how they deal with waste.
Cllr Sunny Brar, Redbridge Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Community Safety and Cohesion, said the dumping was a violation of the nature reserve and that the council had “zero tolerance for grime crime in Redbridge”.
He said businesses acting unlawfully should expect the council to use the law to seek tough penalties when waste is found dumped in the borough.
Further fly-tip investigations still under way
Redbridge Council said separate investigations are continuing into the other piles of waste found at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve. Those investigations are not related to Nadeer or Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd.
Residents who spot a fly-tip in Redbridge can report it through the council’s Report It service. The council says all reported fly-tips are recorded and investigated, with enforcement action taken where evidence is found.
The authority aims to clear recorded fly-tips on council land and the highway within 24 hours of a report. Residents can also submit evidence of offenders or vehicles, including images or details that may help enforcement officers trace those responsible.
Source: Redbridge Council
Source check Source trail
This article is based on Redbridge Council’s account of the prosecution, court outcome and waste investigation.
- Matched the named defendants, Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd and Shazia Nadeer, to the council’s pr...
- Checked the court date, Barkingside Magistrates Court reference and combined £10,777 penal...
- Separated confirmed penalties from the council’s ongoing unrelated investigations into oth...
- Kept reporting instructions limited to the council services named in the source.
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- Redbridge Council
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- Redbridge
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- 2026-05-28 17:04
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