Franklin, TN Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned acts
- Dumping into drains, unpermitted disposal, burning
- Governing section
- Franklin Municipal Code § 17-104
- State cross-reference
- TN Dept. of Solid Waste Management permits
- Correction window
- 10 days after written notice
- Penalty class
- Misdemeanor for continued violation
Summary
Franklin makes it unlawful to dump municipal solid waste into any stream, ditch, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, or other drain, to dispose of it anywhere except a site approved under Tennessee Department of Solid Waste Management guidelines, or to burn it anywhere in the city, public or private property alike.
(1)It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to dump MSW in any form into any stream, ditch, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, or other drain within the city.(2)The disposal of MSW in any quantity by an individual, householder, establishment, firm, or corporation in any place, public or private, other than at the site or sites designated and/or with properly approved permits from the Tennessee Department of Solid Waste Management is expressly prohibited. All disposal of MSW shall be by methods approved by the department under Tennessee Department of Solid Waste Management guidelines.(3)It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to burn or attempt to burn MSW on private or public property within the corporate limits of the City of Franklin.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Municipal Code § 17-104, Prohibited practices, sets out three separate bans inside Chapter 1, Municipal Solid Waste. Subsection (1) makes it unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to dump MSW "in any form" into a stream, ditch, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, or other drain within the city. Subsection (2) goes further, expressly prohibiting disposal of MSW "in any quantity" anywhere other than a designated site with proper permits from the Tennessee Department of Solid Waste Management, and requires that disposal methods include the maximum practical rodent, insect, and nuisance control at the disposal site.
Subsection (3) separately bans burning or attempting to burn MSW on any private or public property within Franklin's corporate limits, a flat prohibition with no exception for backyard burn barrels. The Sanitation and Environmental Services Department, through its director, has jurisdiction over MSW collection citywide under § 17-102 and enforces this chapter. Because these are prohibited-practices provisions rather than a discretionary permit scheme, there is no way to obtain a variance or waiver to dump into a drainage way or burn waste inside city limits; the only lawful path is disposal through approved city or state-permitted channels.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement runs through § 17-116: the city first serves written notice describing the violation and gives up to ten days to correct it, during which any related collection service can be suspended. Anyone who continues an illegal-dumping or burning violation past that ten-day window is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable under the Code's general penalty clause, and remains liable to the city for any expense, loss, or damage city personnel or equipment incur because of the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn yard debris or trash in my backyard in Franklin?
Is it illegal to dump trash into a drainage ditch in Franklin?
Where can I legally dispose of solid waste in Franklin?
What happens if I'm caught illegally dumping in Franklin?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin
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