Columbus, OH Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Civil fine
- $1,000 per violation
- Criminal charge
- misdemeanor, first degree
- Enforcing agency
- Division of Refuse Collection
- Prohibited locations
- waterways, streets, alleys, vacant lots
- Repeat violations
- each day separate offense
Summary
Columbus bans depositing waste into waterways or onto streets, alleys, rights-of-way, and vacant lots, backing the ban with a $1,000 civil fine per violation plus first-degree misdemeanor criminal charges.
No person shall deposit or cause the deposit of acceptable or unacceptable waste... upon any street, alley, public place, utility right-of-way, railroad corridor, or vacant lot; or upon any premises in violation of the Title.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Form Based Code: ?).
Full Breakdown
Columbus City Codes § 1305.03 prohibits depositing acceptable or unacceptable waste into any body or stream of water (including ephemeral ones) or a connecting sewer, or upon any street, alley, public place, utility right-of-way, railroad corridor, or vacant lot, and bars dumping unacceptable waste at an unlicensed site or a licensed solid waste facility without permission. The director of the Division of Refuse Collection enforces the title through notices of violation. Under § 1307.03(C), each subsection carries a $1,000 civil fine, and § 1399.01 separately makes any violation of Title 13 a first-degree misdemeanor, with each day of continued violation a distinct offense.
Violations & Fines
Civil fine of $1,000 per violation under § 1307.03(C); separately a first-degree misdemeanor under § 1399.01, with each day of continued dumping a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping in Columbus?
What is the penalty for illegal dumping in Columbus?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbus
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