Litter Act 1979

Offences and penalties

15: Deposit of litter in public place or on private land

You could also call this:

"Don't throw rubbish in public or on private land without permission or you might get fined."

If you throw litter in a public place or on someone's private land without their permission, you can get in trouble. You might have to pay a fine of up to $5,000 if you are an individual, or up to $20,000 if you are a company.

If the litter you throw is dangerous, like broken glass or toxic substances, you can get in even bigger trouble. You might have to pay a bigger fine, up to $7,500, or even go to prison for a month, or both. If you are a company, you might have to pay a fine of up to $30,000.

You should check the Litter Act 1979 for more information about litter laws in New Zealand.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM33470.


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"Who keeps the money when you pay a litter fine"


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16: Wilful breaking of bottles or glass, or

"Breaking bottles or glass in public or private places without permission is against the law"

15Deposit of litter in public place or on private land

  1. Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction, in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or, in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $20,000, who deposits any litter or, having deposited any litter, leaves it—

  2. in or on a public place; or
    1. in or on private land without the consent of its occupier.
      1. Subsection (1) is subject to subsection (2).

      2. Where any person commits an offence against subsection (1), and the litter deposited is of such a nature as is likely to endanger any person or to cause physical injury or disease or infection to any person coming into contact with it (being in particular any bottle whether broken or not, glass, article containing glass, sharp or jagged material, or any substance of a toxic or poisonous nature) that person is liable on conviction

      3. in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 1 month, or to a fine not exceeding $7,500, or to both; or
        1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $30,000.
          Compare
          • 1968 No 134 s 10
          Notes
          • Section 15(1): substituted, on , by section 8(1) of the Litter Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 24).
          • Section 15(1): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
          • Section 15(1A): inserted, on , by section 8(1) of the Litter Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 24).
          • Section 15(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
          • Section 15(2)(a): amended, on , by section 8(2)(a) of the Litter Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 24).
          • Section 15(2)(b): amended, on , by section 8(2)(b) of the Litter Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 24).