Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-390
Dumping on public way – Violation – Penalty (Chicago Health Nuisances Ordinance)
Operative Text
(a) No person owning or controlling any vehicle shall dump, deposit or dispose, or cause, suffer, allow, or procure to be dumped, deposited or disposed from that vehicle any ashes, refuse, or waste on the public way. (b) No person owning or controlling any refuse vehicle shall cause or permit the vehicle to be so loaded, to be in such defective condition, out of repair, of faulty construction, or improperly driven or managed to permit any ashes, refuse, or waste to drop or fall on any public way or other place. The vehicle shall be constructed to prevent the emission of any odor and to prevent any part of the contents from falling, leaking, or spilling therefrom. It shall be the duty of every person in possession or control of any such vehicle to remove from the public way or any other place, any part of the contents of the vehicle which fell, dropped, or spilled onto the ground from the vehicle. (c) For purposes of this section "ashes", "dispose", "refuse" and "waste" shall have the meaning ascribed to those terms in Section 11-4-120 . (d) Penalties imposed for violations of this section shall be as provided in Section 11-4-1600 . (Prior code § 99-31.1; Added Coun. J. 12-21-88, p. 23493; Amend 7-31-90, p. 19384; Amend Coun. J. 11-3-04, p. 34974, § 2)
Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-390 prohibits anyone who owns or controls a vehicle from dumping, depositing, or disposing of ashes, refuse, or waste onto a public way from that vehicle. It also requires that refuse vehicles be properly constructed, maintained, and operated so that no contents drop, leak, spill, or emit odors onto public streets or other places. Anyone in control of such a vehicle is responsible for cleaning up any material that does fall or spill from it. Penalties for violations are set by reference to Section 11-4-1600 of the Chicago Municipal Code.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who arrange for waste hauling or operate refuse vehicles in Chicago should ensure that any vehicle used for that purpose complies with the construction and maintenance standards outlined in Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-390. Compliant operators typically verify that vehicles are properly loaded, in good repair, and driven in a manner that prevents any waste from falling or spilling onto public ways. They also maintain procedures for promptly removing any material that does spill, and they confirm that contracted haulers meet the same standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Chicago, Ill., Mun. Code ch. 7-28 § 7-28-390 establishes that residents and building occupants are not the only parties responsible for waste management — vehicle operators and those who control refuse hauling bear direct obligations under this provision. If a tenant observes a landlord's contracted hauler repeatedly spilling or dumping waste on public streets, that conduct may be reportable to the Chicago Department of Housing or other relevant city enforcement channels. Tenants who believe this provision is being violated can also consult a local tenant-rights organization to understand what options may be available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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