St. Louis County, MN Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Ordinance No. 45, Article VI, Section 5.1
- Enforcing agency
- St. Louis County Environmental Services Department
- Penalty class
- Misdemeanor under Article IX, Section 3.3
- Per-violation charge
- Separate offense for each day violation continues
- Burial ban
- Section 5.3 bars burying household waste, limited exception
- Container tampering
- Section 2 bars upsetting another's waste container
Summary
St. Louis County Ordinance No. 45 makes it unlawful to dump, throw, or deposit solid waste on any roadway, waterway, or public or private property outside an MPCA-permitted facility's operating hours. The Environmental Services Department investigates violations, and offenders face a misdemeanor citation, charged fresh for each day the dumping continues.
5.1 Except as provided in this Ordinance, no Person shall Dump, throw or in any manner deposit or Dispose of Solid Waste upon or in any roadway, waterway, body of water, public or private property, or at any MPCA-permitted Waste Facility other than during the facility's operating hours and in a manner consistent with Disposal of Solid Waste at the Waste Facility.
Full Breakdown
1 of Ordinance No. 45, the county's Solid Waste Ordinance, bars dumping wherever it lands: on any roadway, waterway, body of water, or public or private property, and even at a licensed MPCA waste facility if it's outside operating hours or handled in a way inconsistent with lawful disposal there. 3 prohibits burying solid waste generated at a household or business except as specifically allowed under Minn. 135, and Section 2 makes it unlawful to willfully turn over or upset any waste, recycling, or compost container so its contents spill onto a roadway, waterway, or property.
0700 or a stricter local ordinance. Enforcement runs through the Environmental Services Department under Article IX. Investigators can issue a Warning Notice or a formal Notice of Violation, and an Authorized Representative of the Department or the Sheriff's Office can issue a citation directly. ' Citations that go unanswered are referred to the County Attorney's Office for a summons and complaint, and the Department can also pursue an Abatement Order to recover cleanup costs from a property owner who leaves dumped waste uncorrected.
Violations & Fines
Dumping solid waste on a roadway, waterway, or public or private property, burying household waste without state authorization, or upsetting another person's waste container is a misdemeanor under Article IX, Section 3.3, with each day of continuing violation charged as a separate offense. The Department can also abate the mess and bill the property owner for cleanup costs after a Notice of Violation goes uncorrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on county roads illegal in St. Louis County, MN?
Can I bury trash on my own property in St. Louis County?
What happens if I don't respond to a dumping citation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.