Northampton business receives a fine of over £40,000 for unlawful deposits of commercial waste
02 September 2026
A Northampton business received a substantial fine of more than £40,000 for unlawfully and persistently depositing commercial waste, after West Northamptonshire Council successfully prosecuted them last week.
JLN1 Ltd, operating as Zizou Lounge and Zizou Express and located on Wellingborough Road, Northampton, pled guilty to unlawfully depositing significant quantities of commercial and food related waste on land at Whitworth Road on three separate occasions over a period between 22 December 2025 and 23 January 2026.
The court accepted the guilty plea and imposed a fine of £40,200 plus costs of £1,567.26. It cited the number of offences over a short period of time, the harm and burden placed on local residents and the landowner for clean-up costs, as well as the commercial advantage the business gained by not disposing of their waste lawfully, for the level of fine.
The Environmental Crime Team had responded to reports of unlawful deposits and investigated on each occasion finding evidence linking the waste to the company.
Due to the severity and repeated nature of the offences West Northamptonshire Council prosecuted JLN1 Ltd for three offences under Section 34(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. On 25 August 2026 the Director of JLN1 Ltd attended Wellingborough Magistrates Court for the first hearing and entered a Guilty plea on behalf of the company in relation to all three offences.
Cllr Andrew Last – Cabinet Member for HR, Corporate and Regulatory Services, said: “This case sends out a clear and strong message to any business who may be tempted to cut corners and save money by incorrectly disposing of their commercial waste. West Northamptonshire Council will investigate these incidents and take enforcement action where we have sufficient evidence. Businesses could end up with a hefty fine.
“Fly tipping any kind of waste is totally unacceptable and a blight on our communities. It gives a negative impression of our towns and villages, can attract vermin and encourages further fly tipping.
“Every resident in West Northamptonshire has the right to enjoy their local community without the threat of fly tipping. Local people and businesses can play their part in keeping our communities clean and clear by disposing of waste in the right way. If you see waste that has not been disposed of correctly, please report it to us by phone on 0300 126 7000, via our Report It app or on our online reporting system.”