St. Louis County, MO Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Code
- SLCRO §607.310
- Waterways
- §607.810
- Both liable
- Dumper + property owner
- Licensed sites only
- Landfill, waste processing, transfer station, composting
- Roadway litter
- §1218.050
Summary
St. Louis County writes its dumping ban around a licensing test rather than a list of banned materials. Under SLCRO §607.310 it is illegal to deposit waste, or to allow waste to be deposited, on any real estate that does not hold a valid license to operate a landfill, waste processing facility, trash transfer station, or composting facility. The section reaches two people at once: the person committing the illegal dumping and the person allowing it are both held responsible for violating county ordinance. Dumping into creeks and other waterways is prohibited separately under §607.810.
Sec. 607.310. — It is illegal to deposit waste, or allow waste to be deposited, on any real estate for which there is not valid license for the operation of a landfill, waste processing facility, trash transfer station, or composting facility. The person committing the illegal dumping and the person allowing the illegal dumping will both be held responsible for violating St. Louis County ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
310 matters more than any inventory of materials. The question the county asks is not what was dumped but whether the ground it landed on is licensed to receive it, and only four kinds of license count: a landfill, a waste processing facility, a trash transfer station, or a composting facility. Everything else in St. Louis County is unlicensed ground, so a vacant lot, a wooded easement, an alley behind a strip of shops, and a rented driveway all fail the test in exactly the same way.
The phrase "or allow waste to be deposited" is what turns the property owner into a second responsible party. An owner who lets waste accumulate is not treated as a bystander here; because the ordinance says both parties will be held responsible, pointing at whoever unloaded the truck does not clear the owner of the lot. Chapter 607 carries the rest of the county's dumping rules around this core section. Antifreeze, waste oil, and household hazardous materials are called out specifically, and construction roll-offs may not be stored in a floodplain unless the waste is in a sealed container. 810. County charges can also run alongside Metropolitan Sewer District and Missouri Department of Natural Resources action rather than replacing it.
Violations & Fines
A county violation can carry a fine of up to $1,000, and it can be brought against the dumper, against the property owner who allowed the dumping, or against both. Metropolitan Sewer District civil penalties may apply where waste reaches the sewer system or a waterway, and Missouri DNR fines run as high as $10,000 per day for hazardous-material dumping. Repeat offenders may face criminal prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if someone dumps trash on my vacant lot?
Which properties can legally accept waste in St. Louis County?
Can two people be cited for the same pile of trash?
Can I burn old motor oil?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Missouri trash & recycling overview
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