A single mother from West London has been fined £1,000 by Hounslow Council for what it calls fly-tipping after she left a cardboard envelope beside overflowing communal bins. Loretta Alvarez, 26, a mental health nurse, said the bins shared by 25 households in Feltham were full, so she placed the envelope on top of existing cardboard.
Ms Alvarez said she cannot afford the fine and fears it could affect her future employment and DBS checks. 'I pay all my rent, council tax and bills, I can't afford to pay that. I would never intentionally do that,' she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The council initially put the fine on hold but later confirmed it was proceeding. Councillor Pritam Grewal, cabinet member for community safety, said: 'We remain committed to taking a zero-tolerance approach to littering... littering includes leaving waste anywhere in public apart from in a bin, regardless of whether bins are full.'
Ms Alvarez argued the bins are often full before collection and that the council should provide better facilities. She noted that large items such as a discarded fridge had been dumped nearby without action. 'It does feel like they are targeting me,' she added.
Despite a council officer acknowledging the bins were full and her circumstances, Ms Alvarez was told everyone must be treated equally. She has not paid the fine and faces potential legal proceedings.
