# Travel >> Transportation >> Hitchhiking

Burying Trash on Your Colorado Property: Generally Illegal — Know the Statute

No, you generally cannot bury trash on your property in Colorado. State law explicitly prohibits it.

The Law: C.R.S. § 25-15-101 et seq. (Solid Wastes Disposal Sites and Facilities Act) & Local Ordinances

"It is unlawful for any person who owns or occupies any property to permit trash to accumulate or remain on such property in such a manner or condition as to create an attractive nuisance or endanger public health or safety. Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a class 2 petty offense."

What This Means Practically

"Trash" = Household waste, construction debris, appliances, furniture, tires, vehicles, hazardous materials.
"Burying" = Disposal by covering with soil. The law treats it as unpermitted solid waste disposal.
Penalties: Class 2 petty offense → up to $300 fine per day/violation. County can abate (clean up) and lien property for costs.
Groundwater Risk: Colorado's geology (fractured rock, shallow aquifers in places) makes burial a contamination threat. CDPHE regulates strictly.

Narrow Exceptions (Not "Trash")

Clean Fill: Inert material (dirt, rock, concrete, brick) — if certified clean, permitted for grading.
Composting: Yard waste + food scraps in a managed bin/pile — encouraged. Not "burying trash."
Agricultural Waste: On-farm, per Colorado Agricultural Chemicals & Groundwater Protection Act — specific rules.
One-Time Event: Some rural counties allow on-site burial of non-hazardous residential waste IF no collection service exists AND permit obtained. Rare. Check County Health Dept.