Department of Sanitation Launches New Waste and Recycling Portal

Philadelphia - To help Philadelphia businesses meet City and State recycling requirements more easily and consistently, the Department of Sanitation has launched the Commercial Waste and Recycling Portal. The new centralized platform consolidates multiple reporting and compliance processes into one streamlined location, aiming to improve efficiency for businesses and support Philadelphia's broader recycling and sustainability goals.

The new portal is designed to simplify mandatory recycling reporting, reduce administrative burden, and ensure more consistent and accurate data submission across the commercial sector. It will be a one-stop shop for commercial entities to submit everything waste and recycling related. The goal is to make the process easier for businesses to plan for their waste, stay in compliance with waste regulations and find resources for communication with patrons.

What's New

Centralized Submission Platform
All commercial properties are required by law to submit a Waste and Recycling Plan to the City's Recycling Office. The new Waste and Recycling Portal allows for timely filing of the plan, which is essential to remain in compliance with City regulations. The portal provides streamlined document submission where businesses can upload documents with the new, simplified submission process, allowing them to meet their compliance requirements quicker. All commercial waste and recycling forms can be submitted in one unified online portal. Prior to the new portal, businesses submitted forms through various platforms.

Simplified Forms
Form language and structure have been updated for clarity and ease of use, making reporting simpler. Forms from past years can be viewed and reprinted. Before the portal, form formats varied and language was difficult or unclear. Past forms weren't viewable.

To ensure all communities can connect to all City services, content on phila.gov is provided in various languages via the language menu. Businesses can select the appropriate language for access to the new Waste and Recycling Portal at https://www.wasterecycling.phila.gov.

Updated Certificate
Businesses now receive an updated and more visually engaging certificate to post in their establishment after submitting their Waste & Recycling Plan.

Inspection Report Access
By summer 2026 businesses will be able to access inspection reports performed by the Streets & Walkways Education and Enforcement Program (SWEEP) Officers, which include records of inspections and any associated violations.

Philadelphia Businesses
Through the portal, businesses can:

• Submit or revise a Waste and Recycling Plan, formerly known as the Commercial Waste Report. This is required documentation submitted to the City's Recycling Office, outlining a business' waste management plan and practices, including materials management and hauler information.
• Access recycling resources on www.wasterecycling.phila.gov including guides, posters, handouts, and more.
• Submit an FM-11 (Act 101 Annual recycling report) to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).

• Submission of the FM-12 (Act 101 Annual Recycling Report) - For waste and recycling haulers, document destruction companies, and other recyclables transporters operating in Philadelphia.