Madison, WI Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Public dumping max forfeiture
- $2,000
- Receptacle misuse, 1st offense
- $50-$200
- Private property dumping
- $50-$200 per offense
- Governing section
- MGO § 10.19
- Continuing violation rule
- Each day is a separate offense
Summary
Madison General Ordinances § 10.19 makes it unlawful to dump rubbish or refuse in any street, alley or public place, and bars dumping brush, yard waste or other refuse on private lawns, terraces or dumpsters without the owner's permission. Public-property dumping draws forfeitures up to $2,000.
(1)Dumping on Public Property. It shall be unlawful to dump rubbish or refuse in any street, alley or public place within the City of Madison. ... (3)Dumping on Private Property. No person shall deposit any brush, newsprint, yard waste, solid waste or other refuse or rubbish of any kind whatsoever on a lawn or a terrace or in a dumpster or other refuse container located in or upon commercial or residential property without the permission of an owner or lessee of said property. (4)Any person who violates subsection (1) shall be subject to a forfeiture of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000).
Full Breakdown
19 splits illegal dumping into three prohibitions. Subsection (1) makes it unlawful to dump rubbish or refuse in any street, alley or public place within the City of Madison. Subsection (2) bars property owners, commercial interests, news-box operators, or their agents from placing rubbish in City-owned trash and recycling receptacles in the State Street Mall Concourse area or other public right-of-way unless the disposal is incidental to the property or business use; this does not reach ordinary customer waste, and does not cover curbside trash and recycling carts issued under the Streets Division's collection program.
Subsection (3) prohibits depositing brush, newsprint, yard waste, solid waste, or other refuse of any kind on a lawn, terrace, dumpster, or other refuse container on commercial or residential property without the owner's or lessee's permission. The ordinance specifies that each day a violation continues is a separate offense, letting the City stack forfeitures against anyone who leaves an illegal dump site in place. 19 was last amended by ORD-18-00081 on August 3, 2018, following a 1995 amendment (Ord. 11,150).
Violations & Fines
Dumping on public property under subsection (1) carries a forfeiture of not more than $2,000. Misuse of City receptacles under subsection (2) draws $50 to $200 per offense within twelve months, rising to $100 to $500 for a third or subsequent violation in that period. Dumping on private property without permission under subsection (3) draws $50 to $200 per separate offense, with each continuing day counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I dump yard waste on a neighbor's terrace in Madison?
What is the penalty for dumping trash in a Madison street or alley?
Can I put my own business trash in the State Street Mall receptacles?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle illegal dumping.