Enforcement officers to visit Derry businesses over waste issues

The visits will be conducted at business premises in the William Street, Waterloo Place and Upper Strand Road area with warnings of further action for those who “fail to address their responsibilities”.

Officers from within the Enforcement, Environmental Health and Waste sections of Derry City and Strabane District Council, supported by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, will lead in undertaking the operation.

A Council spokesperson said that this was being carried out “in response to issues raised regarding waste storage and collection arrangements within that area”.

She said: “Council teams, aided by NIEA, will be calling with businesses to review environmental health and waste collection arrangements.

“The primary aim of the visits are to ensure that business have complied fully with all applicable regulations including those concerning the storage and collection of waste; including food waste as per the Food Waste Regulations (NI) 2015.

“The applicable regulations including those referred to as waste ‘Duty of Care’ are in place to ensure that public health and environmental concerns are properly addressed.

“In respect of ‘Duty of Care’ responsibilities, all producers of waste should comply with the guidance issued by NIEA in respect of their duties to keep, treat and dispose of waste and to manage it correctly by its proper storage and transfer.”

The Council-led joint team have advised that arrangements for, and records pertaining to, Duty of Care responsibilities may be examined by them during their forthcoming visits.

The Council spokesperson also warned that it would take further action against those who fail to address their responsibilities.

This was accompanied with an appeal directly to all businesses to ensure that the City is maintained “in a way in which all citizens can be proud and prevent both environmental risks from arising and the need for any enforcement action”.