A1 Pizza Port Pirie owner fined for illegally dumping 1000 litres of food scraps and pizza leftovers

A pizza shop owner who dumped about 20 bags of food scraps and packaging has been fined after his own invoices were found among the rubbish.

Tendered evidence in the Environment and Resources Court showing litter dumped by Port Pirie pizza shop owner Andrew Paul Mathews. Picture: SA Courts

A Port Pirie pizza shop owner has been fined after dumping at least 20 50L bags of leftover food scraps and his own business mail on “pristine” public land.

A1 Pizza Port Pirie owner Andrew Paul Mathews failed to attend the Environment, Resources and Development Court last week where he was fined for one count of littering after he was last month found guilty and convicted.

Port Pirie Council told the court Mathews dumped the rubbish from his pizza shop on Crown land on Greenwood St in Port Pirie on April 8 last year without consent.

Judge Michael Durrant said council officers had found about 20 50L rubbish bags filled with food scraps, cheese packaging, ham, pepperoni, flour, cream, pasta and pizza sauce and other general unbagged waste.

The rubbish was found dumped on an empty lot in Greenwood St in Port Pirie. Picture: SA Courts

“Amongst the litter was a large quantity of pizza and food order forms, a reconciliation print out for A1 Pizza Port Pirie and business mail addressed to that business and the defendant,” Judge Durrant said.

“I am satisfied for the purposes of sentencing, that the defendant was carrying out business as the A1 Pizza Port Pirie. He had that business name registered to him on June 19, 2012.

“I have been handed this morning photographs of that area and note its relatively pristine condition, other than rubbish as shown.”

Tendered evidence in the Environment and Resources Court in the case against Mathews. Picture: SA Courts

Tendered evidence in the Environment and Resources Court in the case against Mathews. Picture: SA Courts

Judge Durrant said illegal dumping was often difficult to detect, investigate and prevent and took up time and resources of investigating officers – and cost ratepayers because council workers spent money removing and disposing of rubbish.

“I note further that this involved food waste, which brings with it its own challenges in terms of disposal, as that can be also the subject of intrusion by vermin and the like,” he said.

“There is no doubt, and it is shown by the photographs that have been tendered, that this type of offending does impact the amenity of the area.”

Judge Durrant said Mathews had not appeared at the court hearings to argue financial hardship or explain his personal circumstances, but invoices had been found among the rubbish.

“He has failed to attend again today, having been called on two occasions and more than 15 minutes having elapsed from the noted commencement time of this sentencing hearing,” he said.

“I am not aware of any contrition or remorse or any extenuating circumstances in this case. I will impose a fine of $2500.”

He also imposed the council’s court costs of $1690.50 and a $660 clean-up fee.