Illegal dumping in Scranton is enforced under three layered authorities: (1) 18 Pa.C.S. §6501 (Scattering Rubbish), Pennsylvania's criminal statute making it a summary offense to deposit waste paper, ashes, household waste, glass, metal, refuse, or rubbish onto roads, streets, alleys, railroad rights-of-way, the land of another, or waters of the Commonwealth ($50-$300 first offense plus 5-30 hours mandatory cleanup; third-degree misdemeanor with $300-$1,000 and 30-100 hours cleanup for subsequent offenses); (2) Chapter 400 (Solid Waste) of the Code of the City of Scranton with general penalty up to $300 per violation including the >1-hour ban on garbage stored in vehicles on streets/sidewalks; and (3) the PA Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. §6018.101) for larger-scale dumping referred to PA DEP.
Scranton sits in the Lackawanna River watershed, which drains south into the Susquehanna River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay - a federally and state-impaired water system where illegal dumping has direct PA DEP MS4 stormwater consequences. The primary criminal authority is 18 Pa.C.S. §6501 (Scattering Rubbish), under which it is a summary offense to deposit any waste paper, sweepings, ashes, household waste, glass, metal, refuse, or rubbish onto any road, street, highway, alley, railroad right-of-way, the land of another, or the waters of the Commonwealth, and a separate offense to interfere with, scatter, or disturb the contents of receptacles. First-offense penalty: a fine of not less than $50 and not more than $300, PLUS 5 to 30 hours of mandatory litter or illegally-dumped-trash pickup completed within six months, or up to 90 days imprisonment, or any combination. Second and subsequent offenses are third-degree misdemeanors with fines of $300-$1,000 and 30-100 hours of mandatory cleanup completed within one year. Locally, Chapter 400 of the Code of the City of Scranton (eCode360 https://ecode360.com/SC1585) handles lower-tier illegal-dumping conduct with general penalty fines up to $300 per offense (each day a separate offense), and specifically targets the staging of garbage in trucks/trailers/motor vehicles on streets, sidewalks, or any City lands for over one hour - a rule aimed at contractors and movers who dump rather than haul to the Lackawanna County Recycling Center or a permitted PA DEP transfer station. For larger-scale or commercial dumping, the City refers to PA DEP Northeast Regional Office (Wilkes-Barre) under the Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. §6018.101 et seq.), which authorizes administrative orders and civil penalties up to $25,000 per day plus criminal prosecution. The Scranton Bureau of Police (570-348-4141, non-emergency), the Bureau of Code Enforcement (570-348-4193), the Scranton311 complaint line (570-348-4101), and PA DEP all have enforcement authority within the City. PA Act 90 (53 P.S. §6111) blocks the violating owner from City permits, licenses, or approvals citywide and statewide until cured.
First-offense scattering rubbish under 18 Pa.C.S. §6501: summary offense, $50-$300 fine, 5-30 hours mandatory cleanup, or up to 90 days imprisonment, or any combination. Subsequent offenses: third-degree misdemeanor, $300-$1,000 fine plus 30-100 hours mandatory cleanup, all completed within one year, or imprisonment. Chapter 400 (Solid Waste) of the Code of the City of Scranton: general penalty fines up to $300 per occurrence, each day a separate offense, plus the standalone violation for keeping garbage in vehicles on streets/sidewalks/City lands for more than one hour. PA Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. §6018.101): administrative orders and civil penalties up to $25,000 per day for larger-scale dumping. The City retains the right to perform contractor cleanup and lien-back direct cost to the property under the PA Municipal Claims Act (53 P.S. §7101). PA Act 90 (53 P.S. §6111) blocks the responsible owner from receiving any City or statewide permit, license, or approval until violations are cured.
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