Guernsey Battery Waste Fine Draws Tears After £11,500 Penalty Is Reduced
Thursday at 9: 00 a. m. ET, Krystal Ogier said she received a guernsey battery waste fine after accidentally throwing away 23 AA batteries that were inside her children’s toys when her family moved house. The case surfaced now because Ogier used a one-tonne waste bag from Island Waste while moving, and the firm enforces itemised penalties listed in its online acceptance terms.
Island Waste enforcement rules and Ogier’s account
Ogier said she threw away 23 AA batteries in four or five toys while packing to move from her States home in St Peter Port to a smaller property. She was told by the private refuse firm Island Waste that the service carries a penalty of £500 per battery; that initial figure produced a headline total of £11, 500.
Ogier said she knew batteries were not allowed in the one-tonne waste bag she had ordered online, but that she did not realise the batteries remained in the toys. She described being left “soul-destroying” upset and said she “broke down crying on the phone” when told the scale of the charge.
Guernsey Battery Waste Fine: original charge, reduction, and payment terms
The guernsey battery waste fine originally equated to £11, 500 under the £500-per-battery rule but was later reduced to a total of £1, 000, Island Waste said. The firm also worked with Ogier to set up a payment plan; she was offered the option of paying in weekly instalments of £25, which she said she would still struggle to afford while on maternity leave from her job as a hairdresser.
Community examples, fee list and Island Waste safety rationale
Island Waste defended its approach by highlighting the fire risk batteries pose at waste sites, saying battery fires can rapidly spread and cause risk of injury, damage to property and harm to the environment. it heavily promoted safe disposal online and required customers to tick a box declaring they had checked items against the firm’s waste acceptance criteria, which included the fine amounts.
The published charge list cited by residents includes other itemised penalties such as £500 for any amount of asbestos and £50 per nappy, used tampon or for bags of dog waste. Another islander told local media they received a £500 fine after someone else put batteries in their bag without permission, an example neighbours cited when warning others about the fee structure.
Ogier said she accepted responsibility but called the rates “extortionate” and suggested clearer warnings in “big red writing” when customers pay for services online. Island Waste said it did not want to issue fines and that the level of fines reflects the danger posed by batteries to people, property and the environment; the firm said it had worked with Ogier to accommodate payment.
More details expected 5: 00 p. m. ET.
