City leaders announced significantly increased fines for illegal trash dumping in parks during a March 31 press conference at Richman (Echo) Park in the Bronx. Effective immediately, the fine for a first offense jumps sharply from $1,000 to $5,000, with repeat offenders facing an additional $10,000 penalty if caught within a year.
According to the Parks Department, the higher penalties aim to align park dumping fines more closely with the Department of Sanitation’s current $4,000 fines for street dumping, deterring illegal dumping and helping maintain cleaner public spaces citywide.
