A mental health nurse from West London has been hit with a £1,000 penalty after she left a single envelope beside communal bins that were full to capacity, in a case branded as 'fly-tipping' by the local authority.
The Incident and the Fine
Loretta Alvarez, a 26-year-old single mother, was issued the substantial fine after Hounslow Council officials identified her address on a piece of cardboard packaging she had placed next to the overflowing bins in Feltham. The incident, which occurred in November 2025, led to the council accusing her of illegally dumping waste.
Ms Alvarez, who cares for a two-year-old child, has stated she is financially unable to pay the fine and is prepared to take the matter to court to protect her reputation. She insists she had no intention of littering and believed she was acting responsibly by placing the item alongside other cardboard that had accumulated by the bins, which serve approximately 25 other properties.
A Clash of Perspectives
In an interview, the nurse expressed her frustration, highlighting the disparity of the penalty. "I don't have that money to give, I can't afford getting into debt to pay it, and I don't want to get a mark on my record," she told the BBC. "I'm a mental health nurse, I went to university for three years. They're fining me more than someone gets for speeding."
She believes the council may have wrongly assumed she was responsible for all the waste left beside the bins, a recurring issue at the location. While the fine was reportedly put on hold, it had not been cancelled as of mid-November 2025.
The Council's Stance
Defending the council's action, Pritam Grewal, Hounslow Council’s cabinet member for community safety, reiterated a zero-tolerance policy towards littering. He stated that the authority was correct in issuing the fine, as littering legally includes leaving waste in any public place other than inside a bin, regardless of whether the bins are full.
"While we accept that no one likes receiving a fine," Grewal said, "residents expect us to tackle the offence and the offenders." The council had given Ms Alvarez until November 5 to pay in full, warning of potential legal proceedings and a criminal charge if she did not comply.
