A Guernsey mother has been left with a huge penalty after unknowingly discarding 23 AA batteries that remained inside children's toys while clearing out her home during a move.
Krystal Ogier was initially informed by private waste company Island Waste that she would be charged £500 for each battery found in the one-tonne refuse bag she had purchased online, bringing the total to a staggering £11,500.
The firm has since reduced the amount to £1,000, though Ms Ogier maintains this will still affect her financially.
She acknowledged being aware that batteries were prohibited from the waste bags but explained the oversight occurred because the batteries were concealed within the toys, rather than loose items she might have noticed.
The financial blow proved devastating for Ms Ogier, who revealed her family had relocated precisely because their previous property had become unaffordable.
"My head exploded, I was sobbing on the phone," she said upon learning of the initial £11,500 demand.
While accepting responsibility for the error, she described being left "worried sick" by the situation.
Krystal Ogier received an £11,500 fine for throwing away children's toys
|She branded the penalty structure "extortionate", despite understanding the rationale behind the waste company's enforcement system.
"The reason we moved out of the property was because it was getting so expensive," she told the BBC. "So, when you get that added cost on top, it's soul-destroying".
The mother emphasised that the unexpected charge compounded an already challenging period for her household's finances.
Ms Ogier is now calling for waste disposal companies to make their penalty systems far more visible to customers placing orders.
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She suggested that firms should display warnings in "big red writing" when people purchase services through their websites, ensuring the potential financial consequences are impossible to miss.
The mother believes such prominent notices would prevent others from falling into the same trap, particularly those who may not realise that batteries hidden within discarded items still count as prohibited waste.
Her appeal came despite Island Waste maintaining that customers must actively confirm they have reviewed the disposal rules before completing their orders.
Battery waste can be catastrophic, rapidly spreading and causing risk of injury to people, damage to property and the environment
|GETTY
Island Waste director Faye Grime defended the company's existing procedures, stating that prominent messaging about safe battery disposal already features on their website.
She explained that customers are required to tick a box confirming they have inspected their items before the order can proceed, with this declaration also acknowledging the firm's waste acceptance criteria, including the stated penalty amounts.
According to the firm, Ms Ogier had completed this checkbox process and agreed to the terms when placing her order.
The director stressed the serious dangers posed by batteries entering waste facilities.
"The consequences of a battery fire can be catastrophic for a waste site, rapidly spreading and causing risk of injury to people, damage to property and the environment," Ms Grime said.
The company confirmed it had worked with Ms Ogier to arrange manageable payment terms for the reduced fine.