A dry cleaning business and its director have been ordered to pay a combined £10,777 after hazardous commercial waste was traced to a nature reserve in Redbridge.
Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd, based in King Street, Hammersmith, and company director Shazia Nadeer were prosecuted by Redbridge Council after waste found at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve included dry-cleaning materials, chemical bottles and open metal drums containing remnants of super stabilised perchloroethylene.
The case was heard at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 12 May. Nadeer pleaded guilty to environmental offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Hazardous waste found at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve
The investigation began after local residents alerted Redbridge’s Neighbourhood Enforcement Team to a large fly-tip at Aldborough Hall Nature Reserve, on Painters Road, Ilford. The site is an extension of Fairlop Waters Country Park and is used by local people as a wildlife and green-space area.
When enforcement officers arrived, they found three large and separate piles of dumped waste. One pile contained commercial waste linked to the dry-cleaning trade, including blue dry-cleaning bags, cardboard boxes and plastic chemical bottles.
Officers also found two large open metal drums lying on their sides. The drums contained remnants of super stabilised perchloroethylene, a colourless hazardous liquid used in the dry-cleaning industry.
The council said the substance poses risks to human health and can harm the environment if not handled and disposed of safely. Empty plastic bottles of Jolly Smak, another chemical used in the dry-cleaning process, were also found at the site.
Three-day search through dumped material
Redbridge enforcement officer Ron Clayden described the fly-tip as a large-scale and deliberate illegal waste deposit, and said it was one of the most complex cases officers had encountered in the borough.
He said officers spent three days examining the waste in detail to find evidence that could identify who was responsible.
That search, followed by further enquiries, produced evidence linking part of the dumped commercial waste to Palm Dry Cleaners Ltd and Shazia Nadeer.
When questioned by enforcement officers, Nadeer was unable to provide verifiable evidence or legal paperwork showing how the business disposed of its waste. The council also said she could not show what steps had been taken to make sure the waste was being handled safely and securely to prevent leakage or spills.
Court penalties for the business and director
The prosecution covered two waste offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The first concerned a failure to take all reasonable measures available to prevent another person from unlawfully depositing controlled waste. The second concerned a failure to comply with requirements to produce waste transfer notes.
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 also fined and ordered to pay a victim surcharge and council costs, totalling £7,004.
Together, the fines and costs imposed by the court came to £10,777.
Redbridge warning to businesses over waste records
Redbridge Council said the case should act as a warning to businesses that fail to dispose of commercial waste lawfully. Firms are expected to use authorised disposal routes and keep documentation showing where their waste goes.
Cllr Sunny Brar, Redbridge Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Community Safety and Cohesion, said the dumping at the nature reserve was being met with tough legal action.
“We have zero tolerance for grime crime in Redbridge,” he said. “All businesses are required to dispose of their commercial waste legally and responsibly and must have the required documentation to demonstrate how they do this.”
The council said it would use the full weight of the law where business waste is found dumped in the borough.
Further fly-tip investigations continue
The council said separate investigations are still underway 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 fly-tipping 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.
Redbridge Council says it aims to clear recorded fly-tips on council land and highways within 24 hours of a report. Residents can also submit evidence of offenders or vehicles, including through the Love Clean Streets app.
Source: Redbridge Council
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This article is based on Redbridge Council’s published account of the prosecution and court penalties.
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- 2026-05-28 16:56
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