Leander, TX Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Illegal dumping in and around Leander is governed primarily by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 365.012 (the Texas Litter Abatement Act), which Leander enforces alongside its own nuisance ordinances. Under Section 365.012(a), a person commits an offense if they dispose of, or allow or permit the disposal of, litter or other solid waste at a place that is not an approved solid waste site — including on public or private property, rights-of-way, or in or within 300 feet of a public highway. Penalties scale with the amount: a Class C misdemeanor for litter of five pounds or less or five gallons or less; a Class B misdemeanor for more than 5 but less than 500 pounds (or under 100 cubic feet); a Class A misdemeanor for 500 to under 1,000 pounds (or 100 to under 200 cubic feet); and a state jail felony for 1,000 pounds or more or 200 cubic feet or more, or for disposal in a closed barrel or drum. Locally, Leander code enforcement also treats illegal dumping and accumulation of trash and debris as a nuisance, beginning with notice and a voluntary compliance period and escalating to abatement, fines up to $2,000 per day, and liens. Residents report dumping through the city's 'See It! Report It!' form or to Code Enforcement.