Naperville, IL Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned acts
- Dumping refuse/hazardous material in street or gutter
- Also banned
- Wind-blown refuse; throwing glass, nails, missiles
- Origin
- 1960 Code §§24.012, 24.013, 24.021
- Penalty
- $100-$500 per offense (general penalty)
- Classification
- Misdemeanor conviction
- Continuing violation
- Each day is a separate offense
Summary
Naperville makes it unlawful to dump refuse, grass, leaves, branches, garbage or hazardous materials in any street or gutter under Municipal Code Section 10-2-4-8. The same section separately bars wind-blown refuse and throwing glass, nails or other sharp debris onto a street, sidewalk or alley, and violators face the city's general penalty of $100 to $500 per offense.
It shall be unlawful for any person to: 1.Wind-Blown Refuse: Deposit or leave any refuse or material in such a place or condition that it can be blown by the wind so as to be scattered or cause clouds of dust or particles; and it shall be unlawful to permit the escape of soot, ashes or other solid products or results of combustion so as to be wind-blown or scattered.2.Deposits on Streets: Dump or deposit, or cause to be dumped or deposited any grass, leaves, branches, garbage, refuse, hazardous or harmful materials, or any other things in the roadway or gutter of any public street in the City.3.Throwing Missiles; Injurious Materials: Cast, throw or propel any missile on any street, alley or other public place; and it shall be unlawful to throw or deposit any glass, nails, tacks or other similar articles on any street, sidewalk, alley or other public place in the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 101).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-2-4-8, titled "Refuse Deposits; Injurious Materials," opens "It shall be unlawful for any person to:" and then lists three distinct prohibited acts. 021, as later amended. It carries no penalty of its own, so the citywide general penalty rule in Section 1-4-2 applies: any person convicted "shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor," with a separate offense deemed committed upon each day the act continues. A related but distinct rule, Section 4-2-2, separately bars dumping waste on any premises "without the consent of the owner of such premises," reinforcing the same no-dumping policy for private property.
Violations & Fines
Naperville Municipal Code Section 1-4-1 supplies the fine because Section 10-2-4-8 states none of its own: not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense, and, per Section 1-4-2, a continuing act is a new offense every day it persists. A conviction is classified as a misdemeanor, and police or Code Enforcement can issue the citation on top of any cleanup costs the city recovers from the responsible party.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to throw trash out of a car onto a Naperville street?
What if trash blows out of my yard onto the street?
Can I be fined for dumping on someone else's private lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Naperville
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