Brentwood Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping Rules (2026)

Brentwood Municipal Code Chapter 8.12 prohibits depositing any waste, debris, or abandoned items on public property, private property without permission, roadsides, waterways, or in another person's dumpster. The city cross-references California Penal Code section 374.3, which makes littering or illegal dumping of commercial quantities a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months jail and fines up to 3,000 dollars for a first offense, 6,000 for a second, and 10,000 for a third. For dumping at or near water courses or within 150 feet of a highway, enhanced penalties apply under Penal Code 374.7. Brentwood Neighborhood Improvement Services and Police Department investigate dumping reports, and many rural roads along Marsh Creek Road and agricultural edges of the city are monitored by hidden trail cameras. License-plate evidence is sufficient to issue civil citations to the registered owner even without a witness. Cleanup costs are billed to the responsible party and recorded as a lien against the property if unpaid. Residents can report dumping through the Brentwood SeeClickFix or the city's online reporting form, and the Public Works Department targets cleanup of reported sites within 72 hours. Property owners are also responsible for keeping their private property clear of accumulated debris under Chapter 8.12, so failing to clean up dumped materials on your own land can result in secondary citations if not remediated promptly.