SPEARFISH, SD – Private trash receptacles and dumpsters, whether commercial or residential, are not for public use. When people use these receptacles without permission, this illegal dumping constitutes theft.
“If you see a container at a construction site, or a business, or a residential property, it is not for public use,” Spearfish Police Chief Collin Smith said. “The owners are paying for the service of having the container onsite and emptied.”
Illegal dumping falls under South Dakota Codified Law 22-30A-9: Diverting services of another, which states: Any person who, having control over the disposition of services of others, to which that person is not entitled, diverts such services to his or her own benefit or to the benefit of another not entitled thereto, is guilty of theft.
Chief Smith encouraged residents or businesses in need of garbage collection to contact Utility Services at (605) 642-1325, for those within City Limits, or for those outside of City Limits, to contact a private company offering such services.
Those needing to dispose of larger amounts of cardboard may do so for free at the Spearfish Restricted Use Site (RUS), located north of Spearfish off of Highway 85 on Camp Comfort Road, which is 1.5 miles north of Interstate 90’s Exit 10. The current RUS hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
For more information about garbage collection for residential and commercial customers, visit https://www.spearfish.gov/406/Garbage.
