BUSINESSES in the E11 Business Improvement District (e11bid) were hit with fines totalling £7,200 within the last three months for failing to inform the council of how they dispose of their waste.

A new trade waste agreement scheme is therefore to be set up so that businesses can dispose of their waste cheaply and easily in line with council requirements.

The scheme is to be introduced so that they can enter into "collaborative trade waste agreements" meaning they can share the use of large bins in forecourts and other communal areas.

Fawaad Shaikh, who is the chairman of e11bid and runs the One Stop Shop in Leytonstone High Road said: "Initially, what happened was businesses would have to use the council's trade waste agreement but that meant paying £57 a month for 20 trade waste bags.

"The 24 notices were given because we hadn't proven to the council how we dispose of our waste, so we worked out a deal with Biffa."

The deal allows businesses, for example in a single parade of shops, to share use of a bin as long as they can prove they are contributing to the cost.

Those businesses that were fined were given a two-week reprieve on paying the penalties while the scheme is put in place, but those who miss the deadline for joining will still have to pay.

Mr Shaikh added: "We decided the fines weren't right. We came to the agreement to waive them for two weeks but it's up to the company to give the information back to the council."