Southampton, NY Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited conduct
- Depositing waste on any premises or street
- Authorization exception
- Town Board authorization required
- First-offense fine
- Up to $500
- Third-offense fine
- $1,500 or more
- Appeal body
- Licensing Review Board
Summary
In the Town of Southampton outside the villages, § 205-3 bars dumping hazardous or solid waste on any premises, street, highway, sidewalk or public or private place unless the Town Board authorizes it, and § 205-12(E) makes a first violation punishable by up to a $500 fine or six months in jail.
No person shall collect, store, accumulate, throw, cast, deposit or dispose of or cause or permit to be collected, stored, accumulated, thrown, cast, deposited or disposed of any hazardous waste or solid waste upon any premises or upon any street, highway, sidewalk or public/private place within the Town of Southampton, except when authorized by the Town Board. ... any person who violates any other provision(s) of this chapter other than as described in Subsection D above shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $500, or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both, for a conviction of a first offense; for a conviction of a second offense, both of which were committed within a period of five years, punishable by a fine not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both; and upon conviction for a third or subsequent offense, all of which were committed within a period of five years, punishable by a fine of not less than $1,500 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both.
Full Breakdown
Section 205-3(A) of the Waste Management chapter prohibits any person from collecting, storing, accumulating, throwing, casting, depositing or disposing of hazardous or solid waste upon any premises or upon any street, highway, sidewalk or public or private place in the Town, unless the Town Board has authorized it. The chapter carves out three exceptions at § 205-3(B): a resident's ordinary household accumulation of waste on their own property, disposal at a Town or State-authorized transfer station, and proper use of public street receptacles, though those receptacles cannot be used for household garbage.
Illegal dumping is separately defined at § 205-2 as depositing solid waste or recyclables at a location other than a facility legally licensed, permitted and authorized to accept the material. Enforcement runs through the Town, which can issue a written notice of violation served personally or by certified mail and pursue a civil penalty or permit suspension/revocation against a hauler or resident/lessee permit holder under § 205-12(A) and (B), with an appeal available to the Licensing Review Board under Town Code Chapter 143 (§ 205-12(C)).
Violations & Fines
A first Chapter 205 dumping violation carries a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both, under § 205-12(E). A second offense within five years is punishable by $500 to $1,000, and a third within five years by $1,500 or more, each with up to six months in jail. Every additional day the violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on vacant land illegal in Southampton?
What is the fine for illegal dumping in Southampton?
Can I appeal a dumping violation notice in Southampton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southampton
New York rules heatmap·Compare Southampton to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle illegal dumping.