Cumberland County, ME Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Title 17 M.R.S. § 2263-A makes it unlawful to intentionally throw, drop, deposit, discard, dump, or dispose of litter on public highways, public rights-of-way, public lands, freshwater lakes, rivers, streams, tidal/coastal waters, ice over those waters, or on private property without the owner's consent. Under § 2264-A: (1) Disposal of 15 lbs or less or 27 cubic feet or less is a civil violation with a fine of $100–$500 (first offense) and $500–$1,000 (subsequent offenses); (2) disposal of more than 15 lbs or 27 cubic feet carries a minimum $500 fine, treble damages to the injured property owner, at least 100 hours of public-service litter cleanup, restoration of the polluted area, and possible 30-day to 1-year driver's-license suspension — with a minimum $2,000 fine on subsequent offenses; (3) commercial-scale dumping of more than 500 lbs or 100 cubic feet is referred to 38 M.R.S. § 349 (DEP civil enforcement, penalties up to $25,000 per day). Enforcement in Cumberland County is shared among the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, Maine State Police, municipal police, Maine Warden Service, DEP, and Maine DOT.