Is Personal Garbage Allowed in a Public Dumpster in Washington State?

Can You Legally Put Your Personal Garbage In A Public Dumpster In Washington State?

One of the local Facebook pages I follow in the Tri-Cities posted a man getting rid of his garbage in a public dumpster. A lot of comments followed on the legality of doing such a thing.

What Things Or Items Can I Throw Away In A Public Dumpster In Washington State?

It was fascinating how many people defended the practice by saying it was better than littering.

It got me thinking, is it legal to dump your personal garbage in a public dumpster?

I mean we are paying taxes so do we have a right to use the public dumpster as well?

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Before we dive into the specifics, it’s important to understand what public property locations are.

Public property locations are areas owned by the government, such as parks, beaches, streets, and sidewalks. It’s illegal to dump personal garbage in these locations because it’s considered littering.

Littering is defined as placing or throwing garbage in a place that is not designated for garbage disposal and in Washington State, littering is a crime that can come with a hefty fine.

So what about dumping garbage in dumpsters that are located in public property locations?

Unfortunately, the answer is still no. While dumpsters are designed to hold garbage, they are not meant for personal use.

Dumping personal garbage in a public property location dumpster can be considered illegal dumping.

It’s important to note that there are legal options for disposing of personal garbage. One option is paying for a dumpster rental service.

So even though the comments had positive remarks, no matter what, the man was in the wrong for dumping his personal garbage in a public dumpster even if we are paying taxes for the dumpster and could face a big fine if caught.

You can read more about dumpster laws in Washington State here.