Man fined £1,000 for 'putting envelope in bin' as council defends ‘zero tolerance’ fly-tipping policy
He received a letter alleging fly-tipping, after the envelope was discovered inside a black bin bag in a bin meant exclusively for purple bin bags.
A father claims to have been issued a £1,000 fine for throwing an empty envelope into a street bin, leaving him "shocked".
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Nidas Ratkevicius said he does not even remember the moment the offence allegedly took place, but believes he was simply trying to do the right thing.
He added that the punishment has had a significant impact.
“It’s like taking bread from my family. £1,000 is not small money. For me, it’s huge.
“If I did it, it’s because I saw a bin and put rubbish in it. That’s normal. You don’t throw it on the ground. There were mattresses, bags, everything around it. No signs, nothing. If it was closed or marked, I would never touch it.”
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A few days later, he received a letter alleging fly-tipping, after the envelope was discovered inside a black bin bag in a bin meant exclusively for purple bin bags. After completing a council questionnaire, he was issued a £1,000 fine.
“I thought it was a joke... I opened the letter and couldn’t believe it. For an envelope? I was shocked.
“For £10, okay... but £1,000? It’s too much. It’s not fair.
“I said I’m sorry if I made a mistake. But this is not right. This is not justice.”
Hounslow Council says the penalty was issued after a single item of waste containing his name and address was recovered. It uses a formal caution questionnaire process before issuing fines, allowing individuals to explain how their waste came to be at the site.
The council confirmed it has issued 1,842 fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping at the £1,000 level between April and December 2025, following an increase to the maximum fine permitted under rules set by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
It says the policy is designed to deter offenders and tackle a problem costing £4 million a year.
Environmental law barrister Gordon Wignall told LBC the offence is one of “strict liability”, meaning intent is not required.
“If you deposit waste where it shouldn’t be then the offence is made out”, adding that while councils can set fines up to £1,000, they are not obliged to do so in every case.
He described the outcome as “very unfair”, noting councils can choose how they apply enforcement.
In response to the claims, Hounslow Council said it is taking a zero-tolerance approach, highlighting that fly-tipping costs taxpayers thousands of pounds each month.
They added that whilst they exercise discretion in how fines are applied, Defra sets the maximum FPN amount.
Waste policy expert Andrew Waite also called the decision “an overreaction” and warned it risks undermining basic legal principles.
Waite, who formerly advised the government and European Commission on rubbish disposal, said “it is wholly inappropriate… to have an across-the-board decision that anybody should receive £1,000.
“It’s completely different if someone dumps a vanload of waste by the roadside compared to putting a single envelope in a bin.”
He also questioned whether sufficient evidence had been considered, warning councils must meet a high threshold before issuing penalties and properly assess any challenges.
Despite the criticism, Hounslow Council says its approach is necessary to tackle widespread environmental damage and rising clean-up costs.
Reacting specifically to the case of Mr Ratkevicius, they claim the FPN was paused after LBC got involved, as he denies the offence and the current evidence is inconclusive.
They added that public feedback has consistently highlighted fly-tipping as an urgent concern, with residents calling for decisive action.
In a statement, Councillor Pritam Grewal said: “We are committed to protecting the local environment and taking a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping. Keeping our streets and public spaces clean is a top priority for residents, many of whom are frustrated by others in the community who ignore the rules and dump rubbish.
“While no one likes receiving a fine, residents expect us to tackle offences and hold offenders accountable consistently.
“Fly-tipping not only makes our streets messy and unpleasant, but it also costs the council £4 million a year - taxpayers’ money that should be spent on services and projects that benefit our communities.”