Shasta County, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Dumping ban
- Sec. 8.32.110, county-designated sites only
- Evidence rule
- ID in trash = prima facie proof
- Penalty basis
- Chapter 1.08, no intent required
- Informant reward
- Up to $500, Sec. 8.32.121
- Excludes
- Ordinary littering under Penal Code Sec. 374
Summary
Dumping refuse or rubbish anywhere in Shasta County outside a site the board of supervisors has designated for disposal is unlawful under Section 8.32.110. Any name or identifying mark found in the dumped material counts as prima facie evidence against that person in court, and the county pays a reward of up to $500 to anyone whose tip leads to an arrest and conviction.
It is unlawful for any person to dump or permit the dumping of any refuse or rubbish upon any property, public or private, except with an area designated by the board of supervisors for disposal and dumping of refuse and rubbish. In any civil action or criminal prosecution for a violation of this section, evidence in the refuse or rubbish which bears the name of a person or which tends to identify a person, shall be prima facie evidence that the person so named or identified dumped the refuse or rubbish unless the contrary is established by competent evidence.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
110 makes it unlawful for any person to dump or permit the dumping of any refuse or rubbish upon any property, public or private, except with an area designated by the board of supervisors for disposal and dumping of refuse and rubbish. The section builds in its own evidence rule: mail, packaging, or any other item in the dumped pile that bears a person's name or otherwise identifies them is prima facie evidence that person did the dumping, unless they can prove otherwise. 08, and specifically states prosecutors do not need to prove knowledge or criminal intent to convict, since the chapter is a public-safety regulation.
121 lets the board of supervisors approve a reward from the county general fund, capped at $500, for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person for a willful dumping violation that damages or destroys property; the board must first find the violation was willful, that it caused property damage, and that the informant cooperated with the prosecution before approving payment. 3, is limited to unlawful dumping cases and does not extend to ordinary roadside littering as defined in Penal Code Section 374.
Violations & Fines
A dumping conviction under Section 8.32.110 carries the penalties set out in Chapter 1.08 and is treated as a public nuisance under Section 8.32.120, with no requirement that the county prove the dumper knew the act was illegal. Evidence bearing the dumper's name or identifying marks is enough, on its own, to establish liability unless the accused rebuts it. Willful dumping that damages property can also trigger a board-approved reward of up to $500 for the tipster under Section 8.32.121.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to dump trash on vacant land in Shasta County?
How does the county prove who dumped the trash?
Can I get paid for reporting someone who dumps illegally?
Does this reward cover someone who just litters from a car?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shasta County
California rules heatmap·Compare Shasta County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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