Can You Place Trash in Someone Else’s Garbage Can in Sioux Falls?

Let me guess, after last week's latest winter weather event here in Sioux Falls and throughout the state, in addition to big piles of snow, you are more than likely sitting on big piles of garbage at your home right about now too.

I know my sanitary service couldn't make it to my place last week for pickup due to the 12+ inches of snow we received Wednesday into Thursday here in Sioux Falls.

I signed up for one of the medium-sized trash bins from the garbage service provider I use, and that baby is packed to the brim at the moment, my Hefty bags have runneth over you might say.

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On Sunday when I was staring at this big ole mountain of trash in my garage, it got me wondering if it's illegal to slip a little somethin' somethin' in my neighbor's trash bin.

First off, let me be clear, I didn't take a Glad bag over to Bob's house under the cover of the night and place it in his can, I would never do such a trashy thing, as far as you know, anyway.

But let's say a person did, is it illegal to do something like that here in Sioux Falls?

The simple answer is yes. It is illegal to put trash of any kind in someone else's dumpster/trash bin on private property unless you have explicit permission from the property owner to do so.

On top of it being highly inconsiderate, most municipalities have specific laws regarding illegal dumping. While they can vary from city to city, in most cases the act of illegal dumping is often considered a misdemeanor, that could result in a hefty fine or even a little jail time depending on where you live.

When it comes to the city of Sioux Falls, we have a rather specific set of rules regarding the unlawful deposit of garbage and other forms of waste materials on private or public property within the city’s jurisdiction, except in a receptacle provided for that purpose as designated by the city. Those laws are covered in great length under the § 57.046 UNLAWFUL DEPOSITS heading found inside the city of Sioux Falls Code of Ordinances.

And should you ever be tempted to toss that Hefty bag in your neighborhood C-Store dumpster in the middle of the night, you might want to brush up on your city's garbage ordinances first.

Source: City of Sioux Falls Code of Ordinances