Guernsey mum given £11K shock fine over improper disposal of batteries

Friday, 6 March 2026 14:41

A mum of five is warning islanders to double-check what they put in their one-tonne waste bags.

Krystal Ogier filled five one-tonne waste bags whilst preparing to move house.

Island Waste collected the first two bags, but a few days later, Krystal received a call from the company.

They had found several batteries inside the children's toys she had discarded.

As a result, Krystal faced a fine of over £11,000.

"Stressful is an understatement.

"I've got five children to look after, we're moving house, and I'm currently on maternity leave.

"There is no way I can afford to pay this - I thought I'd have to go to prison.

"I just wanted to curl up in a ball and just shut everything out.

"It was horrible."

Krystal says she is grateful Island Waste has since reduced the fine to £1,000, although her payment plan means she will be paying for this mistake until January 2027.

She urges islanders to learn from her mistake and read the terms and conditions in full when using one-tonne waste bags.

"I completely understand that batteries are dangerous and can cause fires. God forbid anything were to happen to anyone, I would never forgive myself.

"But at the same time, it was a genuine mistake.

"We were just chucking things in the bag, I didn't even think of the toys having batteries in them."

The Island Waste website clearly shows what you can throw away and the fines if you don’t follow the rules.

In a statement, the company said:

"We do not want to issue fines, we want our customers to please respect and adhere to our waste acceptance criteria, which is issued on safety and compliance grounds.

"However, a fine is set to highlight and reflect the danger and consequences of leaving batteries in mixed waste, and the danger it presents to people, property and the environment."