Nashua, NH Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Nashua Revised Ordinances § 270-3
- Enforcement
- Board of Health or Public Works
- Maximum fine
- $1,000 per offense, plus costs
- Continuing violation
- Each day is a separate offense
- Scope
- Any land or open air citywide
Summary
Nashua bans placing or dumping refuse and other wastes on land or into the open air anywhere the Board of Health or Board of Public Works finds it harmful to health, safety, or the environment.
No refuse or other wastes shall be permitted in or placed or deposited upon or under the lands, or into the public outdoor atmosphere of the City, in any manner determined by the Board of Health, or the Board of Public Works, as applicable, or their authorized representatives and agents to be detrimental to the use of the receiving lands or the public outdoor atmosphere, or prejudicial to the health, safety, or welfare of persons who may be affected by the resulting environmental conditions.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4805762; v29 updated 2026-02-10; through 02-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 270-3 of the Solid Waste chapter bars anyone from placing or depositing refuse or other wastes on, under, or into any land or the open air within Nashua whenever the Board of Health or Board of Public Works determines the dumping is detrimental to the receiving land or air, or prejudicial to the health, safety, or welfare of people affected. That reaches dumping on vacant lots, roadsides, or any unauthorized site, not just misuse of the municipal landfill. Violations of this chapter are punished under § 270-18, which applies the citywide general penalty in § 1-12: a fine of up to $1,000 plus the costs of prosecution, with each day the violation continues treated as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Fine of up to $1,000 per offense under § 1-12, plus prosecution costs under § 270-18; each day the dumping continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on a vacant lot illegal in Nashua?
What's the penalty for illegal dumping in Nashua?
Does the city have to show the dumping caused harm?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashua
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle illegal dumping.