Illegal Dumping

All categories of waste material, including but not limited to garbage, rubbish, bulk refuse, construction and demolition material, scrap metal or any similar type of waste material, shall only be placed for collection, either by private or municipal services, at the location from which the waste material was generated. Waste material deposited at a location within the City other than the location/property address from which the waste material was generated shall be considered illegal dumping and shall be subject to appropriate fees, fines and penalties per city Code Section 188-18 Illegal Dumping.

View our Illegal Dumping Flyer (PDF)

Report Illegal Dumping

Do not confront a person who is actively dumping. Call the non-emergency Police line 518-270-4411. 

How to document & report illegal dumping on your property 

  1. Take pictures, videos, etc. of the items dumped then call the non-emergency Police line 518-270-4411. The owner must be present at the property location to file a report. 
  2. Get a case number or a copy of the report for your records. 
  3. Once you have documented the materials and filed a report, call the DPW dispatcher at 518-270-4579 to request removal of the materials. Provide them with the Police case number. 

Preventing Illegal Dumping

Follow these tips to help prevent illegal dumping.

Don't leave bulk items out for several days

It may attract illegal dumping, and you risk receiving a violation/fine. If your bulk pickup is missed, call the Department of Public Works dispatcher 518-270-4579 immediately.

keep your property swept and clean

Landscaping and Beautification of Your Property Discourages Waste and Trash. It is important that you maintain the “look” of your property so that it does not attract illegal dumping. Some simple ways of maintaining your land can range from lawn care and trimming, planting decorative trees and bushes, and/or making sure there are no graffiti markings on the walls of your buildings. Keeping the area cleaned up is a good idea. If waste is allowed to pile up, then people are more likely to feel comfortable illegally dumping their trash there and the spot becomes a de facto landfill. Good property managers know that maintaining their properties in an attractive manner sends a message that illegal disposal of waste is not an acceptable practice in that neighborhood.

Post no dumping warning signs

The public is sometimes unaware that tossing garbage or throwing out junk into an area that isn’t a landfill or waste facility is a crime and punishable by fines or prosecution. Posting No Dumping Surveillance or Warning signs can be an effective way in both preventing criminal offenders from trashing your property, and bringing awareness to other neighboring properties. Most often when pedestrians or other "would be offenders" see signage posted stating that violators will be prosecuted for trashing the area, they will immediately vacate the premises and move on. Displaying these types of messages around your property is a great way to promote security.

Install Security cameras

Unfortunately you will not always be around to keep an eye on your property to catch would be offenders from throwing out rubbish onto your land. In these cases, having security cameras set up is a great way to capture evidence of the committed crime. It’s inevitable that sometimes the perpetrator who’s caught would deny any allegations in regards to the junk he or she has dumped onto your property. With the video evidence & captured images caught by your security cameras, the culprit who dumped their trash onto your land can’t deny what they have done. The law will always be on your side when you use Security Surveillance Systems in combination with posting No Dumping Warning signs.

Start a Conversation With Your Neighbor 

Your neighbors may be experiencing similar issues. You are the first line of defense and are responsible for your property, so know what's going on in your neighborhood.