Caddo Parish, LA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Section 42-102, "Improper disposition of waste prohibited," makes it unlawful for any person or corporation, personally or through an agent, employee or servant, to throw, place or deposit "limbs, brush, trash, garbage, discarded items or waste materials of any description, whether solid or liquid" onto a public street, road, right-of-way, highway, park, campground, recreational area, trailer park, drainage ditch, sewer, canal, river or stream, or onto another person's property or waters without authorization. The section reaches indirect dumping too: it also bars depositing material in a way that could reasonably let gravity, wind, precipitation or running water carry it into those same places.

Two narrow exceptions apply: using property the parish has designated for garbage and refuse disposal, and placing litter in a receptacle secured against the elements. Related sections fill out enforcement: Sec. 42-103 requires loads of dirt, rubbish, waste or forest products to be tarped, netted, tied, chained or otherwise confined so nothing spills while a vehicle is moving; Sec. 42-104 makes the driver responsible for litter thrown from a vehicle by any occupant; and Sec. 42-105 separately bans spilling or washing sand, gravel, cement, asphalt or concrete residue onto roads or into drainage ditches, lakes, ponds, bayous or canals.

Sec. 42-106 extends liability to property owners, lessees and custodians who allow trash to accumulate on their own land to the point it threatens public health, as determined by the state department of public and preventive health services. Enforcement runs through justice of the peace courts under Sec. 42-108, which gives justices of the peace concurrent jurisdiction over litter violations under R.S. 30:2531 or the Code, adds a mandatory $100.00 court cost per violation, and lets the parish cooperate with justices of the peace and constables to enforce both state litter law and this article.