San Leandro, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Core prohibition
- SLMC § 3-15-215(a), § 3-6-230(a)(6)
- Max misdemeanor penalty
- $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
- First infraction fine
- Up to $100
- Second infraction fine (1 yr)
- Up to $200
- Repeat nuisance penalty
- Treble abatement cost
Summary
Dumping refuse on streets, sidewalks, storm drains, or private lots is banned citywide under San Leandro's storm water ordinance and solid waste code, backed by misdemeanor and infraction penalties and administrative abatement.
Except when deposited into containers or in lawfully established dumping grounds, no person shall throw, deposit, leave, maintain, keep, or permit to be thrown, deposited, placed, left, or maintained, any refuse, rubbish, garbage, or other discarded or abandoned objects, articles, and accumulations, in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, storm drain, inlet, catch basin, conduit, or other drainage structures, business place, or upon any public or private lot of land in the City, so that the same might be or become a pollutant.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4967405; v8 updated 2026-07-06).
Full Breakdown
SLMC § 3-15-215(a) prohibits anyone from throwing, depositing, leaving, or permitting refuse, rubbish, garbage, or other discarded or abandoned objects to be placed "in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, storm drain, inlet, catch basin, conduit, or other drainage structures, business place, or upon any public or private lot of land in the City," whenever the material might become a pollutant, and separately bars throwing or depositing litter in any fountain, pond, lake, or stream in the City. The occupant, tenant, or owner fronting a paved sidewalk must also keep it free of dirt or litter to the maximum extent practicable.
Chapter 3-6's solid waste code reinforces this: § 3-6-230(a)(6) prohibits permitting any material to be dumped or deposited on or in any street, sidewalk, gutter, or storm drain, or in a manner that lets runoff reach a storm drain, cross-referencing Chapter 3-15. Section 3-6-230(a)(3) further requires anyone collecting, removing, or hauling solid waste, recyclables, or green waste to first obtain a franchise or permit from the City, closing off unauthorized commercial dumping and hauling. Watercourse dumping is separately addressed by § 3-15-220, which bars discharging into or connecting a pipe to a creek or channel without written City Manager authorization.
Violations & Fines
Illegal dumping is enforced citywide under Chapter 1-12: a violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in County Jail under § 1-12-200(b), unless charged as an infraction, which carries fines up to $100 for a first violation and $200 for a second within a year, escalating to a misdemeanor on a third offense within 12 months. A condition of real property in violation is also declared a public nuisance under § 1-12-115, and a second nuisance conviction within two years can result in the court ordering the responsible party to pay treble the abatement cost under § 1-12-200(d).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to dump trash on a San Leandro street or storm drain?
What is the penalty for illegal dumping in San Leandro?
Can the city make me pay extra for repeat dumping violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Leandro
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle illegal dumping.