The owners of Fortune Cookie Chinese takeaway in West Ewell were ordered to pay £1,390 after being found guilty of fly-tipping.

Chun Gen Zheng, 46, the owner of the Kingston Road eatery, pleaded guilty to dumping commercial waste in a residential bin and failing to provide waste disposal records at Redhill Magistrates’ Court on December 8.

January 2014: Chinese takeaway Fortune Cookie fails to foresee fine for poor hygiene

In December, Mr Zheng was fined £400 for each offence, ordered to pay another £400 in prosecution costs, a £150 criminal courts charge and a £40 victim surcharge.

Epsom and Ewell Councillor Jean Steer said this prosecution showed the council is serious about cracking down on commercial fly-tipping.

Cllr Steer said: “Environmental Health Officers at Epsom and Ewell Borough Council will check with businesses that they can provide the relevant documents which they are required to provide by law, to confirm who they are transferring their waste to and where their waste is being disposed.

“All residents and businesses across Epsom and Ewell have a legal responsibility to ensure that household and commercial waste is disposed of in a legal and proper manner.

“We will not allow the small minority of people who feel it is acceptable to act in this way to get away with it."

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, businesses are responsible for disposing of their own waste and are required by law to keep records relating to waste disposal, including which carrier they use.

Fly-tipping is punishable by fines up to £50,000 and imprisonment.