Coweta County, GA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Dumping litter/trash on any property or waters
- Flagrant littering
- Bars dumped furniture/trash near street right-of-way
- Vehicle loads
- Hauling loads must be covered to prevent spilling
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
- Repeat violation
- County can enter, clean up, and lien property
Summary
Coweta County bans dumping litter, abandoned furniture, or household trash on public or private property or in county waters unless it's disposed of at a designated facility, a lawful receptacle, or with the property owner's consent. A conviction under § 62-95 is a misdemeanor under the county's general penalty, with each day the violation continues counted as its own offense.
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to dump, deposit, throw or leave or to cause or permit the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of litter on any public or private property in Coweta County or any waters in Coweta County unless: (1)The property is designated by the state or by any of its agencies or political subdivisions for the disposal of such litter, and such person is authorized by the proper public authority to use such property; (2)The litter is placed into a receptacle or container installed on such property; or (3)The person is the owner or tenant in lawful possession of such property... No persons, corporations or other legal entity that owns rents or leases residential property in Coweta County may dump, deposit, or discard abandoned furniture or household trash and debris on or near the right of way of any street or road. ... Any person who violates any provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished as provided in section 1-15 - general penalty of the Code of Ordinances. Each violation of the provisions of this article shall constitute a separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 62's litter article, adopted by Ordinance No. 023-24 on December 17, 2024, applies to all public and private property in Coweta County under § 62-87. Section 62-90 makes it unlawful to dump, deposit, throw, or leave litter on public or private property or in any county waters unless the material goes to a state-designated disposal site with authorization to use it, is placed in an installed receptacle, or the person is the property's owner or tenant, or has that owner or tenant's consent. Section 62-91, "Flagrant littering," separately bars any owner, renter, or lessee of residential property from dumping or discarding abandoned furniture or household trash and debris on or near a street or road right-of-way.
Vehicle loads are covered too: § 62-92 requires any vehicle hauling dirt, rubbish, or waste to be covered so nothing spills or drops while it's moving on a county street or alley, with an exception for securely lashed brush and tree trimmings. Section 62-94 gives the county two evidentiary shortcuts: litter thrown from a vehicle, boat, or airplane carrying more than one person is prima facie evidence the operator violated the article, and litter found with a name on it creates a rebuttable presumption that person is responsible.
Under § 62-93, a violator gets a citation served by mail or in person by an officer or agent authorized to issue citations for the county. If a convicted violator keeps maintaining the illegal condition, § 62-96 lets a county designee enter the property, correct it, and place a lien on the property for the removal costs and the legal expenses of filing that lien.
Violations & Fines
Section 62-95 makes any violation of the litter article a misdemeanor punished under the § 1-15 general penalty, up to $1,000.00, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, with every day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. If a convicted violator lets the illegal dumping condition persist, § 62-96 authorizes the county to enter the property, clean it up, and place a lien against the property for the removal and legal filing costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is illegal dumping a crime in Coweta County?
What's the penalty for illegal dumping?
What happens if I dump old furniture near the road?
Can the county clean up my property and bill me for illegal dumping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coweta County
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