Lakewood, CO Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Max fine
- $2,650 per offense
- Max jail term
- 365 days
- Enforcing officer
- Environmental Manager
- Consent defense
- Owner consent is a defense
Summary
It is unlawful to place, deposit or dump garbage, trash, debris, construction waste, chemicals or similar materials on any road, right-of-way or private property in Lakewood without the owner's consent.
It is unlawful to place, deposit or dump, or cause to be placed, deposited or dumped, any offal composed of animal or vegetable substance, any dead animal, excrement, garbage, sewage, trash, debris, rocks or dirt, scrap construction materials, nails, mud, snow or ice, waste fuel, oil or other petroleum-based products, paint, chemicals or other waste, whether liquid or solid, or dangerous materials that may cause a traffic hazard in or upon any public or private highway or road, including the right-of-way thereof, or to place, deposit or dump such materials in or upon any private property without consent of the owner or in or upon any public grounds, save and except public property designated or set aside for such purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 14 | Zoning Ordinance: ?).
Full Breakdown
Lakewood's dumping ban covers roads, rights-of-way, private property without the owner's consent, and public grounds not designated for dumping. Dumping on unposted private land is treated as evidence the owner never consented. It is an affirmative defense if the property owner actually consented and the dumping did not otherwise break another city ordinance. The Environmental Manager enforces this chapter and is deemed a peace officer under Municipal Code Section 1.04.010 for that purpose. Because Chapter 9.30 carries no dumping-specific penalty, violations fall under the Code's general penalty: up to a $2,650 fine, up to 365 days in jail, or both.
Violations & Fines
General penalty under Municipal Code Section 1.16.020(A): a fine of not more than $2,650.00, imprisonment of not more than 365 days, or both, per offense; each day can count separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on someone else's land illegal in Lakewood?
What's the maximum penalty for illegal dumping in Lakewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jefferson County handle illegal dumping.