A London woman who was fined £150 for pouring leftover coffee down a street drain has had the penalty cancelled after a council review. Burcu Yesilyurt, a resident of Kew, was issued a fixed-penalty notice near Richmond station on 10 October by three enforcement officers as she headed to work.
Richmond Council initially defended the fine, stating it was issued in line with its policies. However, on Wednesday afternoon, the council sent an email to Yesilyurt confirming the cancellation. The council said: 'I can advise that on review the fixed penalty notice has been cancelled.'
Yesilyurt explained that she emptied a small amount of coffee from her reusable cup before boarding a bus, believing she was acting responsibly. She said: 'I noticed my bus was approaching, so I just poured the leftover bit. It wasn't much – just a tiny little bit.' She described the encounter as 'quite intimidating' and said she felt shaky afterwards.
The officers cited section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which prohibits disposing of waste in a way that could pollute land or water. Yesilyurt asked if there were any signs warning about the rule but received no answer. She was told she should have poured the coffee into a nearby bin.
Yesilyurt lodged a formal complaint and called for clearer signage near bins and bus stops. The £150 fine could have been reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days. A council spokesperson had earlier said footage from body-worn cameras confirmed the officers acted professionally and were sensitive to the circumstances.
