Avondale, AZ Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Avondale City Code sec. 14-170(c), 11-20; A.R.S. 13-1603
- Civil penalty
- $250 per Solid Waste Code violation
- Criminal
- Up to Class 1 misdemeanor ($2,500 / 6 mo.)
- Cost liability
- Dumper pays City cleanup/abatement costs
Summary
Avondale prohibits illegal dumping under both its Property Maintenance Ordinance and Solid Waste Code. City Code Section 14-170 bars depositing waste, debris, trash or litter on any public or private property, and the Solid Waste Code carries a $250 civil penalty per violation with criminal exposure up to a Class 1 misdemeanor.
No person shall place, deposit or leave in or upon any public or private property, public street, alleyway, sidewalk, rights-of-way, park or other city building or property any waste materials, trash, weeds, bottles, glass, cans, graffiti, handbills, posters, pieces of scrap metal, metal articles, paper or other accumulation of debris or items other than placement of refuse for collection in accordance with chapter 11 of the City Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Dumping trash, debris or waste anywhere it doesn't belong is a violation in Avondale. City Code Section 14-170(c) makes it unlawful to place, deposit or leave on any public or private property, street, alley, sidewalk, right-of-way or park any waste materials, trash, weeds, bottles, glass, cans, scrap wood or metal, paper or other accumulation of debris, other than refuse properly set out for collection under Chapter 11. Section 14-170(e) likewise bars accumulating rubbish, debris, trash or garbage in unsheltered areas. Under the Solid Waste Code, only an authorized solid waste collector may collect or haul waste, and the recycling drop-off center is monitored by 24-hour video surveillance, where leaving items outside the designated containers is expressly treated as prohibited illegal dumping.
Vacant lots subject to repeated dumping must be posted 'no dumping' and secured (Section 14-200). Anyone who dumps on public property is liable for the City's cleanup costs (Section 14-140). S. Section 13-1603 (criminal littering and polluting).
Violations & Fines
Solid Waste Code violations carry a $250 civil penalty per violation (Section 11-22) and may be charged as a Class 1 misdemeanor up to $2,500 / 6 months (Section 11-21). Property Maintenance penalties run $250 / $500 / $1,000 (Section 14-110), and dumpers are liable for cleanup/abatement costs (Section 14-140). State criminal littering under A.R.S. 13-1603 can be a misdemeanor or felony depending on volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is illegal dumping a crime in Avondale?
Can I leave extra items next to the recycling drop-off bins?
Who pays to clean up illegally dumped trash?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Avondale
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle illegal dumping.