Rochester, NY Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Section 20-16 of the Refuse Code makes it unlawful to 'place, throw, deposit or dump' refuse, residential refuse, building refuse, bulk refuse, commercial refuse, institutional refuse, hazardous waste, industrial waste, infectious waste, electronic recyclables or recyclable materials on any premises, street, sidewalk or park, or in any litter basket, recycling bin or container placed in a right-of-way, park or public place. The prohibition also reaches trash left in litter baskets or recycling bins that weren't provided for it, and dumping into containers set out for a special event or project.

The Code carves out only a few exceptions: refuse placed for collection in front of the property where it originated, fill authorized by an Article IV, Chapter 39 permit, litter and recyclables deposited by pedestrians and motorists in City-provided street receptacles, park refuse placed in provided receptacles, and refuse from a permitted special event deposited in the event's own collection containers. Enforcement runs through the Municipal Code Violations Bureau. Under § 13A-11F(1), an individual's first § 20-16 violation carries the same fine as a littering offense, $100 (rising to $150 if the ticket defaults), climbing to $200/$250 for a second offense and $400/$500 for a third within a two-year period, with cleanup and disposal costs added on top for individuals.

Businesses face a separate, steeper schedule: $1,000 for a first offense, $2,500 for a second, and $5,000 for a third or subsequent offense, each also plus the cost of cleanup and disposal. Any motor vehicle used to commit the dumping is subject to towing under § 111-75 of the Municipal Code, and unpaid judgments against a property owner become a lien added to the property's taxes.