Littleton, CO Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Section 7-1-3(E), Littering and Dumping, prohibits any person from throwing or depositing, or causing or permitting to be thrown or deposited, garbage, trash, rubbish or junk anywhere within the City of Littleton, unless the location is clearly marked and designated as a proper dump or container for that waste. The section also reaches hazardous material as defined by 40 CFR Part 261, so dumping motor oil, paint or other regulated waste on a vacant lot or in a drainage way falls under the same prohibition as dumping ordinary trash.

A violation is treated as a public nuisance under Chapter 1 of Title 7, so the City's standard nuisance procedure applies: a code compliance officer documents the dumped material, serves a written notice of violation describing the location and the statement of violation, and gives the responsible party at least ten days to remove the material before the City abates it and bills the cost. Because illegal dumping is often committed by a non-owner, the City can also refer discarded vehicles found on a dump site to the Littleton Police Department under Title 6, Chapter 6, and pursue a municipal court summons and complaint under Section 7-1-8(C) instead of, or in addition to, the civil penalty track.