La Plata County, CO Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- La Plata County Code § 46-56(II)
- Prohibited act
- Allowing, causing or permitting dumping of rubbish or dead animals
- Land covered
- Any private or public land in the unincorporated area
- Minimum fine
- Not less than $300.00, first and all subsequent offenses
- Surcharge
- $10.00 per offense, paid to the clerk of the court
- Penalty section amended
- Ord. No. 2022-01, September 27, 2022
Summary
In unincorporated La Plata County, Colorado, it is unlawful for any person to allow, cause or permit the dumping of rubbish or dead animals on private or public land, except as Chapter 46, Article II provides. A conviction under § 46-34 carries a fine of not less than $300.00 that cannot be suspended or reduced.
II. It shall be unlawful for any person to allow, cause or permit the dumping of rubbish or dead animals upon any private or public lands within the unincorporated area of the county, except in accordance with the provisions of this article.
Full Breakdown
La Plata County Code § 46-56(II) reaches both the person who dumps and the person who lets it happen: it is unlawful for any person to allow, cause or permit the dumping of rubbish or dead animals. The land can be private or public, and the rule applies within the unincorporated area of La Plata County, Colorado. The only carve-out is dumping done in accordance with the provisions of the article, which is Article II, Collection and Disposal.
Those provisions include the approved methods in subsection I (a commercial hauler, a person's own transport to a designated facility, and, for dead animals, a designated facility or disposal as defined in C.R.S. § 25-1-612) and the certificate of designation process in Division 3. Under §§ 46-71 through 46-75, a solid waste disposal site or facility goes through a public hearing before the board of county commissioners, and the board, after reasonable notice and public hearing, can suspend or revoke a certificate it has granted.
Enforcement is criminal. Section 46-32 authorizes any level 1 or 1(a) peace officer, as defined in C.R.S. § 18-1-901, to enforce Article II. Under § 46-33 the officer can follow the penalty assessment procedure in C.R.S. § 16-2-201, either giving the person a penalty assessment notice, which is a summons and complaint, or taking the person before a judge of the county court. The person can pay the specified fine in person or by mail, or appear at the time and place stated. On trial, a guilty finding produces the fine specified in the notice, and customary court costs can be added.
Section 46-34 sets the money: a fine of not less than $300.00 for the first and all subsequent offenses, plus all surcharges, fees and court costs, and a $10.00 surcharge for each offense. Fines and forfeitures are paid into the county treasury, except the surcharges. Ord. No. 1997-2 created the dumping rule in 1997, and Ord. No. 2022-01 amended the penalty section on September 27, 2022.
Violations & Fines
Dumping rubbish or dead animals on private or public land in unincorporated La Plata County is an offense under Chapter 46, Article II. A conviction carries a minimum mandatory fine of not less than $300.00 for the first and all subsequent offenses, plus surcharges, fees and court costs, and the fine shall not be suspended or reduced. A $10.00 surcharge for each offense goes to the clerk of the court. The county can also seek criminal prosecution and legal or equitable relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the dumping ban cover public land in La Plata County?
What is the fine for illegal dumping in unincorporated La Plata County?
Am I liable if someone else dumps on my land?
Who enforces the dumping rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in La Plata County
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