Brentwood, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Offense Class
- Misdemeanor under CA Penal Code 374.3
- Fine Range
- Fines 100 dollars to 10,000 dollars plus cleanup
- Enforcement Method
- Trail cameras at known dumping sites
- Evidence
- License-plate evidence supports civil citations
- Remediation Duty
- Private owners must clean up dumped material
Summary
Illegal dumping in Brentwood is a misdemeanor and civil violation under Municipal Code Chapter 8.12 and California Penal Code 374.3. Fines start at 100 dollars for first offenses and escalate to thousands plus cleanup costs for commercial dumping. Cameras and license-plate readers are deployed at known dumping hotspots.
374.3.
(a) It is unlawful to dump or cause to be dumped waste matter in or upon a public or private highway or road, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof, or in or upon private property into or upon which the public is admitted by easement or license, or upon private property without the consent of the owner, or in or upon a public park or other public property other than property designated or set aside for that purpose by the governing board or body having charge of that property.
(c) A person violating this section is guilty of an infraction. Each day that waste placed, deposited, or dumped in violation of subdivision (a) or (b) remains is a separate violation.
(e) A person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished by a mandatory fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) upon a first conviction, by a mandatory fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) upon a second conviction, and by a mandatory fine of not less than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) nor more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) upon a third or subsequent conviction.
Full Breakdown
12 prohibits depositing any waste, debris, or abandoned items on public property, private property without permission, roadsides, waterways, or in another person's dumpster. 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. 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. 12, so failing to clean up dumped materials on your own land can result in secondary citations if not remediated promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report illegal dumping?
Am I responsible for trash dumped on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brentwood
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Contra Costa County handle illegal dumping.