UK Couple Slapped with ₹1.27 Lakh Fine for Cleaning Up Trash Outside Their Home

A couple in Stoke-on-Trent, UK, has been hit with a ₹1.27 fine after they took the initiative to clean up litter outside their home.

Veronika Mike and her boyfriend, Zoltan Pinter, decided to address the persistent litter problem in their neighbourhood, which they described as “disgusting.”

On April 29, the couple collected food waste and discarded packaging in a cardboard box and placed it next to the bins, hoping the local council would dispose of it. However, on May 8, they received a fine from the council, citing their failure to transfer household waste to an authorized authority. Each was fined ₹63,649 for this action.

The council’s letter stated: “This is being issued to you as you failed in your legal duty to transfer controlled waste to an authorized person.” It clarified that while they did not place the waste in an unauthorized location, they did not follow proper waste disposal protocols.

Frustrated by the situation, Ms. Mike expressed her disappointment, saying, “We just wanted to clean our street, and this is the thanks we get. I’ve volunteered for litter picking before and received penalties for nothing.” The couple has vowed not to clean their streets again, even if it leads to a rat problem.

To help pay off their fines, they launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe, which has raised over ₹2.12 lakh from supporters. City councillor Amjid Wazir stated that the matter is considered resolved, but the couple’s experience has sparked outrage within the community.