Mercer County, NJ Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Core ban
- Dumping or leaving debris on County property
- Also banned
- Polluting County lakes, streams, storm drains
- Exception
- Use of a designated County receptacle
- Maximum fine
- $200 (N.J.S.A. 40:24-2)
- Extra penalty
- Loss of County park/facility access
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2018-6, 9-27-2018
Summary
Mercer County Code § 5.04.030 bans dumping yard waste, garbage, appliances, rubbish or any other debris on County property, or into any County waterway, lake or storm drain, except in a designated receptacle. Violators face a fine of up to $200 under § 5.04.050 and can lose access to County parks and facilities.
No person shall dump, deposit or leave yard waste, vegetation or shrubs or plants or other flora that have been cut down, garbage, bottles, broken glass, appliances, wastepaper, rubbish, trash or any other debris or foreign matter on County property, except in a properly provided receptacle designated for that purpose. ... Any person violating any of the provisions of § 5.04.030 or 5.04.040 herein shall be subject to pay a fine not exceeding $200 (N.J.S.A. 40:24-2). The County reserves the right to impose any administrative restraints upon any person or persons that it determines has violated this ordinance, including but not limited to restriction on accessibility and use of County parks, facilities, programs and grounds.
Full Breakdown
Adopted September 27, 2018 by Ordinance No. 040, bars removing or damaging vegetation, soil, rock or turf on County property, covering the flip side of the same dumping-and-disturbance chapter. A. ' Beyond the fine, the ordinance gives Mercer County discretion to impose administrative restraints, explicitly including 'restriction on accessibility and use of County parks, facilities, programs and grounds,' against anyone it determines has violated the chapter, on top of any criminal fine.
Violations & Fines
A first dumping violation on County property, or into a County lake, stream or storm drain, carries a fine of up to $200 under N.J.S.A. 40:24-2 as adopted by § 5.04.050. The County can additionally bar a violator from using County parks, facilities, programs and grounds, a separate administrative penalty layered on top of the court fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping on Mercer County property?
How much is the fine for dumping on County land?
Can the County do anything besides fine me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mercer County
Compare Mercer County to another location·View the New Jersey trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.