Kew woman fined £150 for pouring coffee down drain in Richmond | UK News

A woman says she was “shocked” when she was fined £150 for tipping the remnants of her coffee down a road gully in west London.

Burcu Yesilyurt, who lives in Kew, said she thought she was acting “responsibly” when she poured out a small amount of coffee from her reusable cup down the drain rather than risk spilling it on the bus she was about to catch to work.

But to her surprise, she was then stopped by three enforcement officers at the bus stop near Richmond station and fined under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Richmond-upon-Thames Council said its officers “acted professionally and objectively” and that the fine was issued in line with its policies.

Ms Yesilyurt said: “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.”

Ms Yesilyurt said she thought they were going to speak with her about an issue with the bus when she was stopped on 10 October, and had “no clue” pouring liquid into a road gully was illegal.

“It was quite a shock,” she said.

Ms Yesilyurt said she had asked the enforcements officers if there were any signs or information warning people of the law but received no response.

Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes it an offence to deposit or dispose of waste in a way likely to pollute land or water, including pouring liquids into street drains.

Ms Yesilyurt was fined £150 which can be reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days.

She said the encounter with the officers was “quite intimidating” and she was left feeling “shaky” as she went into work.

A Richmond Council spokesperson said that body-worn camera footage had been reviewed and they did “not agree that officers behaved aggressively”.

“Footage confirms the officers acted professionally and were sensitive to the circumstances,” they added.

Ms Yesilyurt said when she asked the officers what she was supposed to have done with the remaining coffee, she was told to pour it in a nearby bin.

She said she had been trying to act responsibly and avoid littering.

“It feels quite unfair. I think the fine is extreme. It’s not proportionate,” she added.

Ms Yesilyurt has called for the law to be made clearer with signs near bins and bus stops.

She has yet to pay the fine and has issued a complaint with the council.

The Richmond Council spokesperson said: “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.”