Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6501 (2026)

Scattering rubbish.

✓ current as of May 2026

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CHAPTER 65

NUISANCES

Sec.

6501. Scattering rubbish.

6502. Refrigerators and iceboxes.

6503. Posting advertisements on property of another.

6504. Public nuisances.

6505. Discarding television sets and tubes.

Enactment. Chapter 65 was added December 6, 1972, P.L.1482, No.334, effective in six months.

§ 6501. Scattering rubbish.

(a) Offense defined.--A person is guilty of an offense if he:

(1) causes any waste paper, sweepings, ashes, household waste, glass, metal, refuse or rubbish, or any dangerous or detrimental substance to be deposited into or upon any road, street, highway, alley or railroad right-of-way, or upon the land of another or into the waters of this Commonwealth;

(2) interferes with, scatters, or disturbs the contents of any receptacle containing ashes, garbage, household waste, or rubbish; or

(3) is the owner or operator, or an agent of either, of a trash, garbage or debris collection vehicle, including private automobiles and small trucks, or any other type of vehicles used to collect or transport trash, garbage or debris, who knowingly causes to be deposited or deposits the vehicle's load or any part thereof upon any road, street, highway, alley or railroad right-of-way, or upon the land of another or into the waters of this Commonwealth.

(b) Penalty.--

(1) A person who violates subsection (a)(1) or (2) is guilty of a summary offense for the first offense and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $300 and be required to pick up litter or illegally dumped trash for not less than five nor more than 30 hours to be completed within six months, or to imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.

(2) A person who violates subsection (a)(1) or (2) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree for the second and subsequent offense and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $300 nor more than $1,000. The person also may be sentenced to imprisonment or be required to pick up litter or illegally dumped trash for not less than 30 nor more than 100 hours to be completed within one year.

(3) A person who violates subsection (a)(3) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree for the first offense and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000. The person also may be sentenced to imprisonment or to performing a community service for a period not to exceed two years.

(4) A person who violates subsection (a)(3) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree for the second or subsequent offense and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000. The person also may be sentenced to imprisonment or to performing a community service for a period not to exceed five years.

(5) Any vehicle, equipment or conveyance, including any private automobile and small truck, used for the transportation or disposal of trash, garbage or debris in the commission of a second or subsequent offense under subsection (a)(3) may be deemed contraband and forfeited in accordance with 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 5803 (relating to asset forfeiture), 5805 (relating to forfeiture procedure), 5806 (relating to motion for return of property), 5807 (relating to restrictions on use), 5807.1 (relating to prohibition on adoptive seizures) and 5808 (relating to exceptions).

(c) Arrest powers.--A police officer shall have the same right of arrest without a warrant as in a felony whenever the officer has probable cause to believe the defendant has violated subsection (a)(3), although the offense did not take place in the officer's presence. A police officer may not make a warrantless arrest pursuant to this section without first observing recent evidence of a subsection (a)(3) offense or other corroborative evidence.

(d) Forfeiture.--(Deleted by amendment).

(e) Responsibility for costs.--The operator, owner or agent of any vehicle, equipment or conveyance, including private automobiles and small trucks, forfeited under this section shall be responsible for any costs incurred in properly disposing of waste in the vehicle, equipment or conveyance.

(f) Exception.--Subsection (a)(3) does not apply to the lawful depositing of waste at any site regulated by the Department of Environmental Resources.

(g) Other available rights and remedies.--The proceedings specified in this section shall not, in any way, limit the right of the Commonwealth to exercise any rights or remedies otherwise provided by law.

(Mar. 22, 1974, P.L.207, No.42; Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Mar. 25, 1988, P.L.262, No.31, eff. imd.; May 31, 1990, P.L.219, No.47, eff. 60 days; June 29, 2017, P.L.247, No.13, eff. July 1, 2017; June 28, 2018, P.L.429, No.62, eff. 6 mos.)

2018 Amendment. Act 62 amended subsec. (b)(1) and (2).

2017 Amendment. Act 13 amended subsec. (b)(5) and deleted subsec. (d).

1990 Amendment. Section 3 of Act 47 provided that the amendment shall apply to all offenses committed on or after the effective date of Act 47.

References in Text. The Department of Environmental Resources, referred to in subsec. (f), was abolished by Act 18 of 1995. Its functions were transferred to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Cross References. Section 6501 is referred to in sections 3573, 5803 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); sections 3329, 3742.1 of Title 75 (Vehicles).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 10 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1978–2024 · leading case: Commonwealth v. One MacK Dump Truck, 743 A.2d 542 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1999).

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Commonwealth v. One MacK Dump Truck, 743 A.2d 542 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1999). · cites it 3× “The Commonwealth seized the vehicles and filed petitions for their forfeiture pursuant to Section 6501 of the Crimes Code, as amended, 18 Pa.C.S. § 6501, and Section 1715 of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Municipal Waste Act), Act of July 28,…”

Cronin v. West Whiteland Twp., 994 F. Supp. 595 (E.D. Pa. 1998). “§ 3731(c) (driving under influence of alcohol or controlled substance).”

Commonwealth v. Jt. Bargaining Comm. of Pennsylvania Emp. Sec. Employes Ass'n, 386 A.2d 1050 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1978). “See 18 Pa. C.S. §§6501, 6503. It was not unreasonable for the arbitrator to conclude that the term “crimes and misdemeanors” was meant to refer to offenses more serious in nature.”

Tarnopolski v. COM, DEPT. OF TRANSP., 589 A.2d 287 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1991). · cites it 2× “18 Pa.C.S. § 6501. The magistrate certified the conviction to PennDOT who then suspended Licensee's license.”

Commonwealth v. Jiggetts, 15 Pa. D. & C.5th 225 (2010). “18Pa.C.S. §6501. . Pa.R.Crim.P. 400 et seq.”

Com. v. MacArthur, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). · cites it 2× “] Is the sufficiency of the evidence supportive of the Summary Appeal Court's finding that the Commonwealth established by clear and convincing evidence that [A]ppellant should be found guilty of violating [18 Pa.”

Com. v. Garner, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). “Christen had committed the offense of scattering rubbish, 18 Pa.C.S. § 6501, a summary offense. Thus, Appellant - 10 - J-S80033-16 concludes, he was justified in stopping the cars of these young women or in having “mere encounters” with them.”

Com. v. Meletiche, G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019). “Meletiche timely appealed and listed one issue in his Pa.”

Com. v. Thomas, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024). “§ 4910(1)), and scattering rubbish (18 Pa.C.S. § 6501(a)(1)). Defense counsel filed a motion to suppress the evidence against Appellant on April 8, 2022.”

Com. v. Smith, S. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015). “Accordingly, we affirm on the basis of the PCRA court’s opinion. Order affirmed.”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6501(a)(1) — 3 cases

Com. v. MacArthur, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “] Is the sufficiency of the evidence supportive of the Summary Appeal Court's finding that the Commonwealth established by clear and convincing evidence that [A]ppellant should be found guilty of violating [18 Pa.”

Com. v. Meletiche, G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019). “Meletiche timely appealed and listed one issue in his Pa.”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6501(c) — 1 case

Com. v. Smith, S. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015). “Accordingly, we affirm on the basis of the PCRA court’s opinion. Order affirmed.”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6501(d)(10) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. One MacK Dump Truck, 743 A.2d 542 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1999). “The Commonwealth seized the vehicles and filed petitions for their forfeiture pursuant to Section 6501 of the Crimes Code, as amended, 18 Pa.C.S. § 6501, and Section 1715 of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Municipal Waste Act), Act of July 28,…”

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