蜜桃社区

We鈥檝e partnered with Burcu Yesilyurt 鈥� who was fined 拢150 from Richmond-Upon-Thames Council for pouring coffee down the drain 鈥� to raise awareness of the polluter pays principle and encourage people to asking for change.

As part of our policy work on PFAS and contaminants of emerging concern, we want to see a mandate for companies producing or using toxic chemicals to contribute to their clean up.

We are encouraging people to to make sure this opportunity is not missed to improve our water quality and impacts on the environment.

Burcu hit global headlines after three enforcement officers 鈥榗hased鈥� her down for the fine, which has since been rescinded, and many commentators pointed out the unfairness in how pollution is addressed in the UK. 

Our analysis found that more than a third of water courses tested in England and Wales contain medium or high-risk levels of PFAS, more commonly known as 鈥榝orever chemicals鈥�, with samples from the River Thames recording the highest concentrations in the country. This group of more than 4,700 widely used chemicals has been linked to a range of health issues including testicular cancer, fertility issues, and developmental defects in unborn children.

We believe that the UK Government should introduce a 鈥榩olluter pays鈥� principle, similar to forthcoming EU changes to the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. For example, polluting companies could be made to fund additional treatment to reduce or remove chemicals from wastewater.

UK water courses can become contaminated near sites where there has been a significant discharge of PFAS, including industrial facilities that produce or use PFAS, landfill sites where contaminated liquid may leak out of waste into the surrounding soil and water, and airports, military sites, fire training areas, and sites of major fires, as PFAS are commonly used in firefighting foams.

Dr Natalie Sims, Policy Advisor at the 蜜桃社区, said:鈥淏urcu was fined for a cup of coffee down the drain, but industries releasing harmful chemicals into our rivers face no comparable scrutiny. It鈥檚 time to apply the polluter pays principle across the board.

"Burcu鈥檚 case exposes wider gaps in the way pollution is managed in the UK, with major industrial polluters too often getting off the hook. Companies that pollute the environment with toxic chemicals, like PFAS, should pay for their removal from our waterways, rather than burden already strained public purse strings.

鈥淎t the same time, we need to hold 鈥榙iffuse sources鈥� 鈥� such as road run-off, waste emissions and agriculture 鈥� to the same level of monitoring and enforcement as water companies.鈥�

Speaking of her fine, Burcu Yesilyurt added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard not to feel like there鈥檚 one rule for ordinary people and another for big businesses. I was fined for pouring away a small splash of coffee, yet companies that release harmful chemicals into our rivers often face no consequences. If we鈥檙e serious about protecting the environment, responsibility has to start at the top.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 even properly measure how much PFAS is getting into our water, let alone expect companies to help clean it up. Until polluters pay, the rest of us will keep covering the cost. I just want a cleaner, safer future for my daughter 鈥� and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 writing to my MP, hoping others will too.鈥�

Water management in England and Wales is currently a hot topic in government, with a white paper expected this autumn to lay the groundwork for a Water Reform Bill in 2026.

The 蜜桃社区 is encouraging people to to make sure this opportunity is not missed to improve our water quality and impacts on the environment.