Walworth County, WI Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Walworth County Code § 38-7
- Max forfeiture
- $500.00
- Jail default
- Up to 30 days
- Appearance bond
- $100.00 cash
- Waste definition
- Wis. Stats. § 289.01
- Prior ordinance repealed
- County Ordinance #73
Summary
In unincorporated Walworth County, dumping solid waste on streets, parks, private property or into any waters of the county is a forfeiture offense under the littering ordinance, with a separate ban on throwing waste from a moving vehicle.
(a)No person may discharge any solid waste on or along any street, alley, highway, public park, or other property of Walworth County or upon private property or in any waters or water supply of the county or on the ice of any waters or water supply of the county.(b)No person in charge of a motor vehicle may himself or herself discharge, or permit anyone in or on the vehicle to discharge, any solid waste from the vehicle.(c)"Solid waste" shall have the meaning given in Wis. Stats. § 289.01(8), (9), (11), (12), (17), (27), (28) and (33).(d)Penalty. Any person violating any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit not more than $500.00, and in default of payment thereof shall be imprisoned in the County jail until the forfeiture and costs are paid but not to exceed 30 days.(e)Appearance bond. Any person charged with violating any of the above provisions may be released from custody by depositing with the County or with the arresting officer a cash bond in the amount of $100.00 to ensure his or her appearance in court.
Full Breakdown
Walworth County Code § 38-7 bars any person from discharging solid waste on or along a street, alley, highway, public park or other county property, on private property, into any waters or water supply of the county, or onto the ice covering county waters. A separate clause targets vehicle-based dumping: the person in charge of a motor vehicle may not discharge solid waste from it, nor let a passenger do so. 'Solid waste' carries the definition set out in Wis. 01, incorporating the state's broad categories of waste materials rather than a narrower county-only definition.
The ordinance sits in Chapter 38, Article I ('In General'), alongside the county's other general offenses, and it repealed a prior county ordinance (Ordinance #73) that covered the same subject matter before being renumbered into the current code. Like the other Article I offenses, enforcement runs through the citation procedure the county adopted under Wis. 119, which does not preclude prosecuting the same conduct under any other applicable ordinance or state statute.
Violations & Fines
A littering conviction carries a forfeiture of not more than $500.00; unpaid forfeitures and costs can mean up to 30 days in the county jail. A person charged can avoid custody before their court date by posting a $100.00 cash bond with the county or the arresting officer, which is forfeited if the person fails to appear in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on someone else's private property covered?
What if trash blows out of my truck bed?
How much can I be fined for illegal dumping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walworth County
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