Minnehaha County, SD Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Ordinance
- MC17-91 § 11.02
- Max fine
- $200 per offense
- Max jail
- 30 days per offense
- Repeat counting
- Each day waste remains = separate offense
- Cleanup liability
- Violator pays contamination costs, § 11.03
Summary
Dumping solid waste anywhere in Minnehaha County outside the ways this ordinance permits triggers a fine of up to $200, up to 30 days in jail, or both under Section 11.02 of MC17-91, with every additional day the dumped waste remains counted as its own separate offense.
Section 11.02. PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING: No person may dispose of any solid waste except in a manner permitted by this ordinance. Any person that disposes of solid waste on any public or private lands in a manner not specifically permitted by this ordinance is subject to a maximum penalty of a $200.00 fine, 30 days in jail, or both. Each and every day that the violation continues may be considered a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
00 fine, 30 days in jail, or both. The section applies whether the dumping happens on someone else's property or the violator's own land, because the ordinance regulates the manner of disposal rather than ownership of the dump site. Each day the illegally dumped waste remains may be charged as a separate offense, so a single dumping incident left uncleaned can generate repeated $200 fines rather than one flat penalty. 02 exposes violators to civil penalties allowed under SDCL 34A-1, 34A-2, 34A-6, 34A-7, 34A-11, and 34A-12, which cover water pollution, solid waste management, and related environmental harms.
03 goes further for anyone whose dumping contaminates the site: that person is subject to civil action and must bear the full cost of determining the cause and extent of the contamination, the full cost of correcting it and eliminating any public health hazard, and all associated legal costs. 01, backs the illegal-dumping fine with Class 2 misdemeanor status under SDCL 7-18A-2 for any provision of the ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Illegal dumping under Section 11.02 carries a maximum $200 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day the waste remains treated as a new offense. Anyone whose dumping contaminates a site also owes the full cleanup, remediation, and legal costs under Section 11.03, on top of any civil penalties available under SDCL Title 34A.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fine for illegal dumping in Minnehaha County?
Can each day of illegal dumping be charged separately?
Who pays to clean up illegally dumped waste that contaminates a site?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minnehaha County
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