A STARK warning has been issued to businesses that dump their excess trade waste.

Environmental health officers in Hambleton say they will follow the lead of their counterparts at neighbouring Leeds City Council, who saw a business fined £14,000 for leaving commercial waste bins overflowing, and dumping bags of trade waste behind its premises.

They say they will prosecute businesses who repeatedly fail to dispose of trade waste correctly.

Hambleton's operational services manager, Mike Kneebone, said: "If businesses are producing more waste than will fit into their commercial waste bins, then we would urge them to get in touch with us.

"They either need another bin or another collection - or both. The answer is not to dump it alongside their bin. Businesses pay to have their bins emptied because we have to pay to dispose of commercial waste. If they leave excess around the bin, we will not collect it for free.

"It is the responsibility of businesses to deal with the waste correctly, not for council tax payers of Hambleton to pick up the bill for clearing excess waste."

Mr Kneebone said the Leeds court case sent out a message to all businesses that magistrates will crack down on people who are damaging the environment.

"Each business must make sure they have adequate provision for disposing of their company's waste," he added.