A woman says she was left “shocked” and “shaky” after being fined £150 by three enforcement officers 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 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 immediately stopped by three enforcement officers at the bus stop near Richmond station on 10 October and fined under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Richmond-upon-Thames Council cancelled the fine on Wednesday afternoon despite initially defending it as being issued in line with its policies.
“Three Men Chasing Me”
Ms Yesilyurt described the shocking moment enforcement officers pursued her after she disposed of the leftover coffee.
“I noticed my bus was approaching, so I just poured the leftover bit. It wasn’t much, it was just a tiny little bit,” she explained.
“As soon as I turned around, I noticed three men, enforcement officers, chasing me, and they stopped me immediately.”
The image of three male enforcement officers chasing down a woman for pouring out coffee dregs has sparked outrage over disproportionate enforcement.
Thought They Were Helping With Bus Issue
Ms Yesilyurt said she initially thought the officers were going to speak with her about a problem with the bus when they stopped her.
She had “no clue” that pouring liquid into a road gully was illegal and had never seen any signs or warnings about the law.
“It was quite a shock,” she said of being confronted by three officers over what seemed like an innocuous act.
Asked for Signs – Got No Response
When Ms Yesilyurt asked the enforcement officers whether there were any signs or information warning people of the law, she said she received no response.
The lack of public information about this obscure regulation has become central to criticism of the fine.
Most people would assume drains are designed precisely for liquids and would have no idea pouring out coffee could result in a £150 penalty.
Environmental Protection Act 1990
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.
The law was designed to prevent serious pollution and fly-tipping, not to penalise someone disposing of a splash of coffee.
Ms Yesilyurt was fined £150, reducible to £100 if paid within 14 days.
“Quite Intimidating” Encounter
Ms Yesilyurt described the encounter with three male officers as “quite intimidating,” saying she felt “shaky” as she went into work afterwards.
The use of three enforcement officers to confront one woman over coffee disposal raises questions about proportionality and appropriate use of enforcement resources.
Council: Officers “Acted Professionally”
A Richmond Council spokesperson said 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.
However, the council’s decision to cancel the fine suggests they recognised the enforcement was inappropriate regardless of officer conduct.
Told to Pour Coffee in Bin
When Ms Yesilyurt asked the officers what she was supposed to have done with the remaining coffee, she was told to pour it in a nearby bin.
The advice to pour liquid into a rubbish bin rather than down a drain designed for water seems impractical and counterintuitive.
Pouring coffee into a bin risks creating mess and attracting pests, which is why most people would instinctively use a drain instead.
Trying to Act Responsibly
Ms Yesilyurt emphasised she had been trying to act responsibly by avoiding spilling coffee on the bus or littering.
“It feels quite unfair. I think the fine is extreme. It’s not proportionate,” she said.
Her use of a reusable cup demonstrates environmental consciousness, making the £150 pollution fine particularly ironic.
Calls for Clearer Signage
Ms Yesilyurt has called for the law to be made clearer with signs near bins and bus stops warning people not to pour liquids down drains.
If the council seriously wants to enforce this obscure regulation, proper public education would be the first step rather than ambushing unaware residents with hefty fines.
She issued a complaint with the council and initially refused to pay the fine.
“Protecting Waterways”
The Richmond Council spokesperson initially defended the fine, stating: “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 claim that a splash of milky coffee threatens Richmond’s waterways stretches credulity and suggests enforcement quotas may be driving officer behaviour.
Council U-Turn
Despite the robust defence of their policies, Richmond Council cancelled Ms Yesilyurt’s fine on Wednesday afternoon.
The swift reversal following media attention and public backlash suggests the council recognised the enforcement was indefensible.
The U-turn raises questions about how many other residents have been issued similar disproportionate fines and whether they’ll be refunded.
Public Outrage
The case has sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning whether enforcement officers should be targeting people disposing of coffee rather than serious environmental crimes.
Critics pointed out that actual pollution – fly-tipping, illegal dumping, industrial discharge – goes relatively unpunished whilst someone pouring out coffee gets chased by three officers.
Revenue Generation Concerns
Some have questioned whether these fines represent genuine environmental enforcement or revenue generation targeting easy marks.
Catching someone pouring coffee down a drain requires far less effort than investigating serious pollution incidents.
The £150 fine (£100 if paid quickly) creates financial incentive for councils to target minor infractions rather than focus resources on substantial environmental damage.
Proportionality Questions
The deployment of three enforcement officers to pursue someone over coffee disposal raises serious proportionality concerns.
Those resources could presumably be used to address littering, fly-tipping, or other genuine environmental problems.
Lack of Public Awareness
Most residents would be completely unaware that pouring liquid down a street drain – something that happens naturally every time it rains – could be considered illegal disposal of waste.
Without clear signage and public information campaigns, fining people for breaking obscure laws they don’t know exist seems more like entrapment than enforcement.
What Should She Have Done?
The practical alternatives to pouring coffee down a drain are limited:
- Pour it in a bin (messy, attracts pests)
- Carry it onto the bus (risk of spilling)
- Find a café toilet (time-consuming)
- Drink it all (not always possible/desirable)
The lack of reasonable alternatives highlights why the enforcement seems disconnected from reality.
Other Councils’ Approach
It’s unclear whether other London boroughs enforce similar fines for pouring liquids down drains or whether Richmond’s approach is unusually zealous.
If Richmond is alone in this enforcement, it suggests policy rather than law is the problem.
Fine Cancelled But Questions Remain
Whilst Ms Yesilyurt will be relieved her fine has been cancelled, broader questions remain:
- How many others have been fined similarly?
- Will those fines be refunded?
- Are enforcement officers given quotas encouraging aggressive action?
- Why were three officers needed for this interaction?
- Will the council improve signage and public information?
As the council quietly backs down from its indefensible fine, the case serves as a reminder that enforcement powers can be wielded disproportionately against ordinary people trying to go about their daily lives – and that sometimes it takes public outrage to restore common sense.
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