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Corona, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Corona Code § 8.20.040
Prohibited locations
public or private land, water, waterways
Legal classification
nuisance, abatable by injunction
Criminal penalty
misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine/6 months jail
Civil remedy
restraining order or injunction to force cleanup

Summary

Corona bans dumping, placing, or burying any solid waste on public or private land, or in any water or waterway, under Corona Code of Ordinances § 8.20.040. The code treats every violation as a nuisance the city can shut down through a restraining order or injunction, on top of criminal charges that can reach $1,000 in fines or six months in jail.

No person shall dump, place or bury in any public or private lot, alley, street, land or in any water or waterway within the city any solid waste. The dumping, placement or burial of any solid waste shall constitute a nuisance and may be abated by the city through civil process by means of restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction or in any other manner provided by law for the abatement of such nuisances.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-56: Supplement contains: Local legislation passed through Ord. 3423, passed 12-3-2025).

Full Breakdown

100). It reaches any public or private lot, alley, street, land, or water or waterway within the city, so dumping on an empty private parcel is just as illegal as dumping in a street or flood control channel. Because the section labels illegal dumping a nuisance, the city is not limited to citations: it can go to civil court for a restraining order, or a preliminary or permanent injunction, to force cleanup and stop repeat dumping, or use any other manner provided by law for abatement.

420. 050's ban on placing hazardous, radioactive, or medical waste in any collection container, since illegally dumped loads frequently mix ordinary refuse with prohibited materials. 420(B), separate from whatever action the city itself brings.

Violations & Fines

Illegal dumping under § 8.20.040 is not on the chapter's short infraction list (§§ 8.20.270 and 8.20.310-8.20.390), so § 8.20.420(A) makes it a misdemeanor, punishable under § 1.08.025(A) by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in county or city jail, or both. The city may pursue that criminal case and, separately, a civil nuisance abatement action, restraining order, or injunction under § 8.20.040 itself, forcing removal of the dumped material regardless of the criminal outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dumping trash on empty land illegal in Corona even if it's private property?
Yes. Section 8.20.040 bans dumping, placing, or burying solid waste on any public or private lot, not just city streets or waterways. The fact that the land is privately owned, including vacant land, does not create an exception, and the dumping still counts as a nuisance the city can prosecute or sue to abate.
What can the city do besides fine an illegal dumper?
Because § 8.20.040 defines illegal dumping as a nuisance, the city can go beyond a citation and seek a restraining order or a preliminary or permanent injunction in civil court, forcing the responsible party to remove the material and stop further dumping, independent of any criminal case under § 8.20.420.
How much is the fine for illegal dumping in Corona?
Illegal dumping is prosecuted as a misdemeanor because § 8.20.040 is not on the chapter's infraction list. Under § 1.08.025(A), a misdemeanor conviction can bring a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, on top of any civil nuisance abatement the city pursues separately.

Sources & Official References

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