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Waste Code Violations and How to Report Them

Illegal Dumping

The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department investigates waste-related code violations within the City of San Diego. Because not every waste violation is currently available as a Get It Done report type, please review the reporting options below to help ensure your concern is sent to the appropriate team.

Confirm the Location Before Submitting a Report

The City of San Diego can only address violations located within City limits and on property or public rights-of-way under the City’s jurisdiction.

  • Issues located in another city should be reported directly to that city.
  • Issues located in an unincorporated area of San Diego County should be reported through the County of San Diego’s applicable reporting system.
  • Issues located on freeways, freeway ramps, state highways or other Caltrans rights-of-way should be reported through the Caltrans Customer Service Request system.

Report These Violations Through Get It Done

The following waste-related violations can currently be reported through the City’s Get It Done app or website:

  • Illegal Dumping 
    • Large items or significant amounts of trash, junk, debris, furniture, appliances or other materials that have been intentionally discarded in a location that is not authorized for waste disposal, such as a street, sidewalk, alley or other public right-of-way.
    • This report type is intended primarily for larger dumped items or larger accumulations of waste. It should not be used to report general litter or abandoned shopping carts.
    • Waste associated with a homeless encampment should not be reported as illegal dumping. Please use the Homeless Outreach/Encampment report type.
  • Container Left Out
    • A trash, recycling or organic waste container that remains at the collection point or in the public right-of-way beyond the permitted collection period.
  • Dumpster Encroaching on the Public Right-of-Way
    • A dumpster that improperly occupies or obstructs a sidewalk, street, alley, parkway or another portion of the public right-of-way.
  • Dumpster (or Container) Overflow
    • A trash, recycling or organic waste container that is overfilled, has waste extending above the top, has material spilling onto the surrounding property or public right-of-way, or is so full that its lid cannot close.
  • Waste on Private Property
    • An accumulation of trash, junk, debris or other discarded materials located on private property.

Report Other Waste Violations by Calling Environmental Services

For a waste-related violation that is not one of the Get It Done report types listed above, contact the Environmental Services Department Contact Center at 858-694-7000, Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact Center representatives can gather the necessary information, determine which type of violation may be occurring and route the concern to the appropriate Environmental Services team.

Environmental Services also addresses the following waste violations:

  • Commercial Dumpster Condition
    • A commercial or multifamily dumpster that is damaged, leaking, deteriorated, unsanitary or unable to properly contain waste. This includes dumpsters with missing, broken or inoperable lids.
  • Encroachment
    • An object, material or other item placed on a sidewalk, street, alley, parkway or another portion of the public right-of-way without authorization.
    • This violation generally applies to items that are not on wheels and do not have permission to occupy the public right-of-way. 
    • Signs are not included under this category because they are handled by a different City team.
  • Franchise Hauler Early-Morning Collection
    • Trash, recycling or organic waste collection performed by a private franchise waste hauler in a residential area during prohibited early-morning hours (before 6am).
  • Inadequate Recycling or No Recycling
    • A residence, business, apartment building or other property that does not provide required recycling service or does not provide sufficient recycling containers or collection service for the amount of recyclable material generated.
  • Street Litter Container
    • A public street litter container (maintained by the City) that is overflowing, damaged, missing or contributing to an accumulation of waste around the container.
  • Biohazardous and Medical Waste
    • Human biological waste or medical waste located on a sidewalk, street, alley, parkway or other portion of the public right-of-way that may create an unsanitary condition or potential health hazard.
    • Examples include human urine, feces, blood, vomit or other bodily fluids, as well as discarded needles, syringes, lancets, medical tubing, blood-soaked materials or other potentially infectious medical items.
    • This category applies only to human waste and medical waste located in the public right-of-way. Animal feces, urine or other animal waste should not be reported through this process.
    • Do not touch or attempt to move needles, medical waste or other potentially biohazardous materials.

Dead Animals on City Property

A dead animal located on City-owned property or in the City’s public right-of-way may be reported through Get It Done using the Dead Animal option.

How a dead animal should be reported depends on where it is located, so residents should confirm that the location is within the City of San Diego before submitting the report. Please visit the Dead Animal Removal page for additional information.

Hazardous Waste