Milwaukee, WI Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Forfeiture
- $5,000 per Class P violation
- Default penalty
- 30 to 100 days imprisonment
- Each incident
- Charged as a separate offense
- Legal dumping
- Requires a city clerk permit
Summary
Dumping refuse on public or private property without a permit is banned in Milwaukee; violators face a mandatory $5,000 forfeiture, with each dumping incident charged as a separate offense.
No person may engage in dumping on public or private property other than a permitted facility under ss. 80-45 and 46. ... Upon conviction of a Class P violation, the violator shall forfeit $5,000. Each incidence of a dumping violation shall constitute a separate offense. Upon default of payment, the violator shall be subject to imprisonment not less than 30 days nor more than 100 days.
Full Breakdown
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 80-44 bans dumping solid waste in an amount greater than a standard 20-gallon container, or any liquid waste by a food peddler, on public or private property without the owner's consent and outside a permitted dump site under § 80-45. Violations carry the Class P penalty set in § 61-22: a flat $5,000 forfeiture, with every separate act of dumping treated as its own offense, and imprisonment of 30 to 100 days if the forfeiture goes unpaid. The property owner where dumping occurred is separately responsible for removing the waste, such as dumped tires.
Violations & Fines
Flat $5,000 forfeiture per incident under the Class P penalty schedule (§ 61-22); default on payment triggers 30 to 100 days imprisonment. Each act of dumping is its own offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on a vacant lot illegal in Milwaukee?
What is the fine for illegal dumping in Milwaukee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle illegal dumping.