Westchester County, NY Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governs
- All county-owned property
- Fill limit without permit
- 15 cubic yards
- Criminal penalty
- Class A misdemeanor
- Civil penalty
- $7,500-$15,000 per violation
Summary
Westchester County bans dumping dirt, debris, waste or hazardous material on any county-owned street, park, lot or waterway without site-specific authorization.
It shall be unlawful for any person or for any business or corporate entity...to dump, direct the dumping of, deposit or otherwise dispose of any dirt, sand, gravel, clay, loam, stone, rocks, rubble, building rubbish...or commercial or household waste, refuse, garbage, rubbish or debris of any sort...in or upon any sidewalk, street, lot, park, public place, wharf, pier, dock, slip, navigable waterway or other County-owned property, except where such disposal...is authorized at the specific site in question pursuant to the Laws of Westchester County
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47).
Full Breakdown
Section 713.21(A) makes it unlawful to dump, deposit or dispose of dirt, sand, building rubbish, household waste, garbage or debris of any sort on a sidewalk, street, lot, park or other County-owned property unless the disposal is authorized at that specific site. Placing more than 15 cubic yards of fill requires a Department of Public Works building permit under subsection C.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a Class A misdemeanor under § 713.31, punishable by a fine of $1,000 to $50,000 (up to $100,000 for repeat or hazardous-waste offenses) or up to one year imprisonment, plus a separate $7,500-$15,000 civil penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is illegal dumping a crime in Westchester County?
Who pays to clean up illegally dumped material?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westchester County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Westchester County to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview
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