Bothell, WA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Two parts of the Bothell Municipal Code reach illegal dumping in the City of Bothell. Section 8.44.040 bars any person from throwing, dropping, depositing, discarding or otherwise disposing of litter on any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place, on a private residence or other private property the person does not own, or in any waters within the city's jurisdiction, whether from a vehicle or otherwise. The exceptions are property designated for garbage disposal that the person is authorized to use, a litter receptacle used so the litter cannot blow away, and property the person owns or controls or has the owner's consent to use, provided no public nuisance results.

The penalty is in § 8.44.270. A person who litters an amount less than or equal to one cubic foot commits a Class 3 civil infraction with a maximum penalty and default amount of $50.00, not including statutory assessments. A person who litters more than one cubic foot commits a Class 1 civil infraction with a maximum penalty and default amount of $250.00, again not including statutory assessments.

Cleanup cost follows the dumper. Unless suspended or modified by a court, the person also pays a litter clean up fee of $25.00 per cubic foot of litter. The court can order the person to pick up and remove the litter from the property, in addition to or in place of part or all of the fee, with prior permission of the legal owner or, on public property, of the managing agency.

Household waste has its own prohibition. Section 8.20.170 makes it unlawful to dump, collect, remove or otherwise dispose of garbage, recyclables or organics upon any street, alley, public place or private property within the city, and restaurants and hotels have swill rules requiring approved enclosed vessels.

Property owners carry a duty as well. Section 8.44.170 requires the owner or person in control of private property to keep the premises free of litter at all times. Enforcement under § 8.44.250 belongs to police officers and other law enforcement officers, fire department and building department personnel, and jurisdictional health department personnel, who can issue citations and arrest without warrant.