Sandy Springs, GA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)

Code Sec. 38-186 makes it unlawful to dump, deposit, throw or leave litter, or cause someone else to do so, on any public or private property or waters in Sandy Springs, unless the material goes to a state-designated disposal site, is placed in an installed receptacle, or the person is the property's owner or tenant, or has that owner or tenant's consent, acting consistent with the public welfare. Construction site operators are separately required to control site waste such as discarded building materials, concrete truck washout, chemicals and sanitary waste, not just fenced trash.

Sec. 38-187 adds a companion rule against hauling an unsecured load that drops or shifts material onto the roadway. Enforcement leans on evidentiary presumptions in Sec. 38-188(b): litter thrown from a vehicle, boat or airplane is prima facie evidence the operator violated the chapter, and litter found with identifying material, like a labeled letter or bill, creates a rebuttable presumption against the named person. Penalties in Sec. 38-188(c) run separately from the citywide Sec. 1-10 penalty: each day a property stays in violation is a distinct offense, fines cap at $1,000 per offense and jail time at 60 days, any property owner who violates a second city code section within 24 months must be cited and fined at least $500, the violator must reimburse the city for litter-removal costs, and a court can order the person to personally pick up litter along up to a mile of roadway.