Carrollton, TX Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 50.02
- Banned
- Dumping garbage/refuse/rubbish/yard waste
- Covers
- Public and private property
- Max fine
- $2,000 per offense
- Continuing violation
- Each day a separate offense
- Enforcement
- City Manager (§ 50.95)
Summary
It is unlawful under § 50.02 of Carrollton's General Code to place, throw or dump garbage, refuse, rubbish or yard waste anywhere on public or private property in the city except inside an approved can or receptacle. Chapter 50 is classified as a public health and sanitation chapter, so a violation carries a fine up to $2,000 per offense under the citywide penalty schedule.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, throw, or otherwise deposit any garbage, refuse, rubbish, or yard waste on any lot or parcel of land or on any street, alley, sidewalk, or other place in the city, except in a can or receptacle meeting the requirements of this chapter.
Full Breakdown
02, adopted with Ordinance 4272 on August 19, 2025, bars depositing garbage, refuse, rubbish or yard waste 'on any lot or parcel of land or on any street, alley, sidewalk, or other place in the city,' with the sole exception being a can or receptacle that meets chapter 50's container standards. The ban covers both public rights-of-way and private property, including a neighbor's lot or a vacant parcel, not just city streets. 15, which makes it unlawful for anyone but the city to collect or remove refuse in the first place.
99. 00,' rather than the lower $500 cap that applies to chapters like signs or solicitors, and each day a dumping violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
A § 50.02 violation is a misdemeanor punishable under § 10.99(A)(2) by a fine up to $2,000.00 per offense, since chapter 50 falls in the public health and sanitation tier of the city's penalty schedule rather than the $500 tier. Because § 50.99 treats each day a violation continues as a separate offense, dumped material left in place accrues additional exposure daily until it is removed, and the City Manager's office under § 50.95 handles the inspection that documents the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to dump trash on a vacant lot in Carrollton?
What is the fine for illegal dumping in Carrollton?
Who enforces Carrollton's illegal dumping ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle illegal dumping.