Paulding County, GA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Paulding County Code § 40-53, part of the Article III litter ordinance adopted under the state's Georgia Litter Control Law (O.C.G.A. § 16-7-40 et seq.), makes it unlawful to dump, deposit, throw or leave litter on any public or private property or in any waters in the county. The only exceptions are disposal at a site designated by the state or county for that purpose, placing litter in an installed receptacle, or dumping with the consent of the property's owner or tenant. The definition of "litter" in § 40-52 covers everything from garbage, rubbish and ashes to dead animals and broken glass.

Enforcement runs through § 40-55. Investigators get an evidentiary shortcut: litter tossed from a vehicle is prima facie evidence the driver violated the ordinance, and litter found on a property that contains mail or other items bearing a person's name creates a rebuttable presumption that person is the dumper. Any state or Paulding County law enforcement officer, and any officer of any state political subdivision, is authorized to enforce the article.

Penalties follow the Code's general schedule at § 1-19: a first conviction draws a fine of $100.00 to $1,000.00 and up to six months in jail, with at least 120 days of any sentence probated; a second conviction raises the floor to $300.00; a third raises it to $500.00, with the $1,000.00 cap unchanged. On top of the fine, § 40-55(c) requires the violator to reimburse the county for the cost of removing the litter, and a judge may order the person to personally pick up and remove litter, including litter left by others, from up to one mile of public roadway or right-of-way. The court can also publish the names of people convicted under the article.