A tanning salon has been left with a court bill of nearly £600 after problems with how the business disposed of its waste.

Tracy Hutchinson, owner of Lush Tanning and Beauty, of Lumley Close, Washington, appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (November 26).

Ms Hutchinson was prosecuted by Sunderland City Council after failing to pay a £300 fixed penalty notice for not providing documentation on how she disposed of her waste.

The court heard how in spring 2023 during a fly-tipping investigation by the City Council an environmental officer asked Ms Hutchinson for documents on how the business managed its waste. 

Businesses are legally required to prove the lawful disposal of business waste for up to two years, under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Ms Hutchinson failed to provide the information and received a Fixed Penalty Notice of £300. She then failed to pay the penalty notice and was prosecuted by the council.

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In her mitigation, the business owner said that she had had medical issues, but admitted that she had not paid the fine. The court imposed a fine of £120, reduced from £180 because of her guilty plea. She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £48 and £410 in legal and investigation costs, totalling £578.

The City Council's Cabinet Member for the Environment, Transport and Net Zero, Councillor Lindsey Leonard said: "Businesses must comply with waste management laws to ensure that waste is disposed of responsibly.

"Failure to do so not only harms the environment but also undermines legitimate businesses that follow the rules. As a council, we will continue to take enforcement action against businesses that fail to meet their legal obligations."