Kalamazoo, MI Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Kalamazoo City Code § 22-10
- Small-litter fine
- Up to $200, under one cubic foot
- Mid-range fine
- $200-$500, one to three cubic feet
- Large-volume fine
- $500-$2,500, over three cubic feet
- Extra remedy
- Court-ordered cleanup cost restitution
- Enforcing agency
- Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety
Summary
Kalamazoo City Code § 22-10 makes it unlawful to dump, deposit or leave refuse, debris or litter on public or private property in the City of Kalamazoo without the owner's consent. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety enforces the ban with a sliding municipal civil infraction fine schedule tied to the volume of litter involved.
It is unlawful for a person knowingly, without the consent of the public authority having supervision of public property or the owner of private property, to dump, deposit, place, throw, or leave or cause or permit the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of any refuse, debris, or other litter on public or private property. ... Penalty. ... (1) A person who violates this section shall be responsible for a municipal civil infraction. The following schedule of fines shall apply for a violation of this section: (a) A fine of up to $200 if the amount of the litter is less than one cubic foot in volume. (b) A fine of not less than $200 but not more than $500 if the amount of litter is more than one cubic foot in volume, but less than three cubic feet in volume. (c) A fine of not less than $500 but not more than $2,500 if the amount of the litter is more than three cubic feet in volume.
Full Breakdown
Section 22-10, carried forward from 1974 and 1985 amendments and updated in the 2022 recodification, prohibits any person from knowingly dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving refuse, debris or other litter on public or private property without the consent of the public authority or private owner. It also reaches drivers who fail to clean up glass and other debris left after a highway accident. Two evidentiary presumptions ease enforcement: a citation naming a specific vehicle, combined with proof the defendant was its registered owner at the time, presumes the owner was the driver, and any driver of a vehicle is presumed responsible for litter thrown or dumped from it.
Penalties scale with the volume of litter rather than a flat fine: less than one cubic foot draws a fine of up to $200; one to three cubic feet draws $200 to $500; and more than three cubic feet draws $500 to $2,500. Beyond the civil fine, a court may order the responsible person to reimburse the City for its cleanup and disposal costs, and may impose court-supervised litter-gathering community service on top of the fine and restitution.
Violations & Fines
Every violation of § 22-10 is a municipal civil infraction rather than a criminal charge, prosecuted through the City's civil infraction court process. The court can stack a civil fine of up to $2,500 for the largest volume tier, restitution for the City's cleanup costs, and litter-gathering community service on a single violation, and each separate dumping incident is charged independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping under Kalamazoo's ordinance?
How much is the fine for illegal dumping in Kalamazoo?
Can Kalamazoo hold a vehicle owner responsible for litter thrown from a car?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kalamazoo
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