A woman was left stunned after being slapped with a £150 fine for pouring away the remnants of her coffee into a drain, branding the penalty as “unfair”.
Burcu Yesilyurt, a resident of Kew, London, tipped away a small quantity of coffee before boarding a bus in west London, only to be confronted by three enforcement officers.
She reportedly expressed her belief that she was acting “responsibly” by disposing of it in the grid but was hit with a fine under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
“It feels quite unfair. I think the fine is extreme. It’s not proportionate,” she stated. She decided to get rid of the coffee when she saw her bus approaching at a stop near Richmond station, explaining that she didn’t want to risk spilling it on board.
Ms Yesilyurt told the BBC: “I noticed my bus was approaching, so I just poured the leftover bit. It wasn’t much, it was just a tiny little bit. As soon as I turned around, I noticed three men, enforcement officers, chasing me, and they stopped me immediately.”
Richmond-upon-Thames Council has confirmed that the fine was correctly issued, stating that the officers “acted professionally and objectively”, reports the Mirror.
However, Ms Yesilyurt insists she had “no clue” that she was committing an offence when the incident occurred on October 10, adding: “It was quite a shock.”
In fact when the enforcement officers came up to her, she thought they were going to tell her something about the bus, unaware that she was committing an offence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
She also claims that she got no response when she asked them if there were any signs or information about it being wrong to pour waste liquids into the drains.
The law in question makes it illegal to dispose of waste that could potentially pollute, including pouring liquids into drains.
Ms Yesilyurt, was reportedly slapped with a £150 fine, which would be reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days.
She described the officers who stopped her as “quite intimidating”, leaving her feeling “shaky”. When she asked what she should do with the coffee dregs, she was told to put them in a bin.
A spokesperson for Richmond Council is understood to have said that after reviewing body-worn camera footage, it was concluded that the officers did not behave “aggressively”. They added: “Footage confirms the officers acted professionally and were sensitive to the circumstances.”
A statement from the council also reportedly read: “Nobody likes receiving a fine, and we always aim to apply our policies fairly and with understanding.
“We are committed to protecting Richmond’s waterways and keeping our borough’s streets clean and safe. Enforcement action is only taken when necessary, and residents who feel a fine has been issued incorrectly can request a review.”
The Express has reached out to Richmond Council for a response.