Lenexa, KS Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Section 3-9-C-5 defines littering broadly. The act is dumping, throwing, placing, depositing or leaving refuse of any kind, or any object or substance which tends to pollute, mar or deface, and the definition also reaches a person who causes something to be dumped, thrown, deposited or left, so someone who hires or directs another person to dump is covered as well.

The ordinance protects two kinds of places. The first is any public street, highway, alley, road, right-of-way, park or other public place, and any lake, stream, watercourse or other body of water. The only carve-out is dumping done by direction of a public officer or employee authorized by law to direct or permit it. The second is any private property, where the test is consent: leaving refuse there without the consent of the owner or occupant is littering, whether the land belongs to a neighbor, a business or an absent owner.

Section 3-9-C-5 sets no fine amount of its own. It states that a violation is a public offense punishable as set forth in Article 3-9-J of Chapter 3-9. Section 3-9-J-1 makes it unlawful to commit any offense described in the chapter and says that, unless otherwise provided, a person convicted is punished as provided in Section 1-1-C-3. That general penalty section allows a fine of not more than $2,500, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, and it provides that those found guilty of violating any provision of the Code can have all licenses and permits issued by the City revoked. Section 1-1-C-1 classes a conviction as a misdemeanor.

Because Section 1-1-C-3 also provides that each day a violation continues is a separate offense, refuse that is left in place after a citation can support additional charges for each further day.