Illegal Dumping and Litter

Disposing of waste on public or private property without permission of the property owner is considered illegal dumping. 

Examples of illegal dumping  

• Dumping items such as furniture, bags of household waste or construction materials at the side of the roadway, or on private or public property
• Placing household waste in, or beside a parks waste container

Illegal dumping is harmful to our environment and can pose a risk to public safety. It is unsightly and costly for the City to clean up.

How you can help

Everyone has a role to play in keeping Richmond Hill clean and litter-free. Here is how you can help: 

Dispose of your waste properly

• Do not litter. Use waste containers provided by the City in public spaces, or take your waste home if the bins are full.
• Do not dump household waste. It is against the law and subject to fines. If you have excess garbage, or waste that is not collected from the curb, bring it to a York Region Waste Depot to be disposed of safely.
• For more information on how to properly dispose of garbage, furniture, appliances and other items please visit the Garbage and Recycling at Your Home page.

Reduce litter

• Prevent wind-blown litter from your blue box by not overfilling your bins and by placing heavier objects on top of lighter ones. Place blue boxes at the curb the morning of collection, instead of the night before.
• Reduce your waste by avoiding single-use items that can end up as litter. Switch to reusable alternatives instead (e.g. reusable cutlery, straws and containers). For more information, visit the Reducing Single-Use Items page.
• Keep your home and surrounding area litter-free.
• Help clean up litter in your community by participating in Clean Up, Green Up Weeks, the City’s annual spring cleanup event.
• To reduce paper litter, the City will place a recycling container at community mailboxes where litter issues have been reported by residents and verified by City staff. For more information, visit the Canada Post Community Mailboxes page.
• Always pick up after your pet. Pet waste belongs in the green bin when at home, or placed in a public garbage container when visiting parks and trails. 

Report illegal dumping

If you see someone illegally dumping or if there is an area where illegal dumping has occurred, please report it to Access Richmond Hill by calling 905-771-8800 or emailing access@richmondhill.ca. Illegal dumping can lead to a maximum fine of $5,000 per offence.