Alpharetta, GA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Alpharetta Code §§ 26-87, 26-88
- Fine range
- $200.00 to $1,200.00
- Cleanup cost
- Reimbursed to the city
- Court cleanup order
- Up to one mile of right-of-way
- Evidence rule
- Identifying mail infers responsibility
Summary
Dumping litter on public or private property in Alpharetta without authorization is unlawful, and a conviction brings a fine of $200 to $1,200 plus reimbursement of the city's cleanup costs. Courts can also order violators to personally pick up litter along roads or right-of-way.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to dump, deposit, place, throw or leave or to cause or permit the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of litter on any public or private property in the city limits or any waters in the city unless: ... (b)Any person who violates this article shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as follows:(1)By a fine of not less than $200.00 and not more than $1,200.00; and(2)In addition to the fine set out in subsection (b)(1) of this section, the violator shall reimburse the city for the reasonable cost of removing the litter when the litter is or is ordered removed by the city;
Full Breakdown
Section 26-87 of the Alpharetta Code makes it unlawful to dump, deposit, place, throw or leave litter on public or private property within the city or in city waters, unless the property is designated by the state or a political subdivision for litter disposal and the person is authorized to use it, the litter goes into a proper receptacle located where the owner or tenant designates, or the person is the owner or tenant in lawful possession or has that person's consent. The same section separately bars operating a motor vehicle with an unsecured load that can drop or shift material onto the roadway.
Section 26-88 sets the punishment: a fine of not less than $200.00 and not more than $1,200.00, plus reimbursement to the city for the reasonable cost of removing the litter when the city orders or performs the removal. The municipal court, at its discretion, may also direct a convicted person to personally pick up and remove litter, including litter deposited by others, from up to one mile of public street, highway or right-of-way, or from public property or private right-of-way, and the court may publish the names of persons convicted.
Section 26-89 lets the trier of fact infer a violation when litter thrown from a vehicle, boat, airplane or other conveyance is traced to its operator, or when dumped litter contains identifying articles such as mail bearing a person's name.
Violations & Fines
A dumping conviction under section 26-88 carries a fine of $200.00 to $1,200.00, reimbursement of the city's litter removal costs, a possible court order to personally collect litter along up to a mile of public right-of-way or from other public or private property, and publication of the violator's name at the municipal court's discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for illegal dumping in Alpharetta?
Can Alpharetta make me clean up litter myself?
How does the city prove who dumped litter with no witness?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alpharetta
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle illegal dumping.