Mendocino County, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

030 makes it unlawful to throw, deposit, or abandon any refuse on public property, a public right-of-way, a watercourse or its banks, or on someone else's premises, except at an approved disposal site, container site, materials recovery facility, transfer station, recycling industry, or authorized recycling entity. 020, applies the same rule to a person's own property: no owner or occupant may throw, drop, dump, bury, or burn refuse on their own premises outside an approved disposal channel, though wood may be stacked for household or agricultural use and composting is allowed if done in a healthful manner.

050 authorizes the county to require the property owner to remove and properly dispose of it, using any provision of the county code or state law necessary to enforce that order. 030's process: the Director of the Department of Transportation or a designee must first give reasonable notice and a chance to correct, often via a cart tag or posting on the property, before issuing a citation for an uncorrected violation. 020 extends to collection containers, vehicle loads, and disposal facilities to confirm compliance.