Fines and Penalties

According to the Texas Litter Abatement Act:

• It is a Class C misdemeanor to illegally dispose of litter that weighs 15 pounds or less or has a volume of 13 gallons or less.
  
• It is a Class A misdemeanor to illegally dispose of litter that weighs 500 pounds or more or has a volume of 100 cubic feet or more.

You can be fined up to $500. Repeat the offense, and you could face a fine of up to $2,000 and 180 days in jail. If a person has been previously convicted of violating this Act, that person's punishment will be upgraded to the next highest category for any subsequent violation of this Act. In other words if someone was convicted of a Class A misdemeanor previously they would now be subject to a third-degree felony.

Here are some common violations:

• Throwing litter out of a vehicle.
  
• Pouring used motor oil or restaurant grease into storm drains or down manhole covers. It is also illegal to dump oil on the ground.
  
• Dumping cars into a rivers.
  
• Hauling trash for profit and dumping it in any place that is not a legal landfill. Commercial dumping is subject to increased fines and penalties.
  
• Letting someone else dump trash on your property.