Palm Springs, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code § 11.72.030
- Definition of refuse/waste
- § 11.72.040
- Maximum criminal fine
- $1,000
- Maximum jail term
- 6 months
- Repeat violation
- Court may order treble abatement costs
Summary
Palm Springs declares unsightly, dumped refuse and waste a public nuisance under Municipal Code Section 11.72.030, covering everything from construction debris to inoperative vehicle parts left on a property. Anyone who creates or maintains the condition faces a misdemeanor with up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.
Refuse and waste matter as defined in Section 11.72.040, which by reason of its location and character is unsightly, or interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of property by neighbors, or detrimentally affects property values in the surrounding neighborhood or community, or which would materially hamper or interfere with the prevention or suppression of fire upon the premises is a public nuisance. ... "Refuse and waste"matter is defined for the purpose of this chapter as unused or discarded matter and material having no substantial market value, and which consists of such matter and material as: rubbish, refuse, debris and matter of any kind including but not limited to rubble, asphalt, concrete, plaster, tile, rocks, bricks, soil, building materials, crates, cartons, containers, boxes, machinery or parts thereof, scrap metal and other pieces of metal, ferrous or nonferrous, furniture or parts thereof, inoperative vehicles, vehicle bodies and/or parts thereof, trimmings from plants or trees, cans, bottles and barrels. ... Any responsible person who creates, causes or otherwise maintains any condition identified as a public nuisance pursuant to this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the city jail or in the Riverside County jail for a period of not more than six months, or both a fine and imprisonment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4923139; v14 updated 2026-06-24).
Full Breakdown
030 makes refuse and waste matter a public nuisance whenever, by its location and character, it is unsightly, interferes with a neighbor's reasonable enjoyment of property, detrimentally affects surrounding property values, or would hamper firefighting on the premises. 040 defines "refuse and waste" broadly as unused or discarded matter with no substantial market value, expressly including rubbish, debris, building materials, scrap metal, furniture, inoperative vehicles and vehicle parts, and containers left on a lot. 200 that identifies the dumped material, cites the violated section, and sets a cure period of not less than ten days. 270.
Violations & Fines
Section 11.72.275 makes creating, causing, or maintaining a refuse-and-waste nuisance a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment in the city or Riverside County jail for not more than six months, or both. A second or subsequent civil or criminal judgment against the same property owner within a two-year period can result in a court ordering treble abatement costs under Government Code Section 38773.7 (Section 11.72.280).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on your own property illegal in Palm Springs?
What is considered illegal refuse under Palm Springs code?
What is the penalty for illegal dumping in Palm Springs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle illegal dumping.