In The News

PGW Joins Philadelphia’s Department of Sanitation and Sustainability Partners for an Update on the City’s Municipal Solid Waste Contracts

PHILADELPHIA – On Friday, July 10, the Department of Sanitation was joined by its sustainability partners in a press briefing on the status of the City’s Municipal Solid Waste Contracts.  Pennsylvania's Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101) requires counties and municipalities to implement a "fair, open, and competitive" process for selecting waste management and disposal programs. This ensures equitable access to capacity and guards against favoritism, fraud, and extravagance. As part of the evaluation and selection processes for the new contracts the Sanitation Department utilized the City of Philadelphia’s Best Value RFP process to evaluate all bids and responses to the waste and recycling RFPs, including a new category that evaluates environmental sustainability, along with capacity and cost which are a part of the negotiation process.

The City of Philadelphia Municipal Solid Waste and Recycling contracts expired June 30, 2026​. Contract extensions for a period of six months were executed through the Procurement Department to allow the Sanitation Department sufficient time to evaluate bids submitted in response to City’s Request for Proposals (RFP) Process, negotiate costs, and work with Procurement to post the new contract awards and prepare ordinances for City Council approval. Prior to the contract negotiations, the City met with multiple entities to learn about their concerns and interests related to the waste RFP.  As a result, a component was added to evaluate environmental impacts as part of the RFP selection process. This added provision allowed for an objective evaluation of various waste strategies, and an effective and efficient determination of the environmental impacts of each option submitted.

Evaluation criteria during the process included costs, transportation impact assessment, environmental impact assessment (landfill and waste to energy comparisons, emissions data), education and litter support. In addition, two independent firms, MSW Consultants and Civil & Environmental Consultants, conducted environmental impact analyses. ​Negotiations are completed and the results have been submitted to the Procurement Department for posting and vendor notifications. Posting of the Notice of Intent to award will be on July 10, 2026 at www.phlcontracts.phila.gov.

The evaluation of the contracts through the Best Value RFP process provides an opportunity for the Sanitation Department to deliver a recommendation that is fiscally and environmentally responsible to the residents and stakeholders of Philadelphia. Given the deep concerns about the environmental impact of the City’s waste disposal, the Department sought to take careful deliberation to ensure a sound decision was made in managing the city’s waste and recycling.

The evaluation and selection process included a panel of various sustainability partners. The Committee Review of Proposals included representatives from the Department of Sanitation, Office of Sustainability, Department of Health, and Office of Clean and Green.

“Our goal through this RFP process was to encourage competitive bidding from multiple waste disposal companies to offer solutions that provide environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible proposals to consider that meets the City’s vision of a safer, cleaner, and greener Philadelphia,” said Carlton Williams, Director, Office of Clean and Green Initiatives. “We believe the RFP Process will lead to a contract that is financially sound, environmentally safe (according to PADEP standards) and includes the best option for the City to explore alternative methods for disposal.”

“Ultimately our plan of action is to invest in practices that helps the City meet its zero waste goals by creating systems where the City’s waste is diverted into more sustainable processes,” said Crystal Jacobs Shipman, Commissioner, Department of Sanitation. “The city will continue to explore alternative methods for disposal including organics processing, composting, textiles recovery, recycling, and anaerobic digestion. We will utilize what’s at our disposal presently by awarding a contract to the respondents of the Best Value RFP.”

“Balancing the benefits and harms from waste management is one of the toughest aspects of public health,” said Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson, Commissioner, Department of Public Health. “The efficient management of our City’s waste is a key consideration in the health of our residents, but traditional methods of that management can be harmful. The Health Department was pleased to participate in this RFP process, and is excited to help every step of the way as we make Philadelphia the cleanest, greenest, and safest big city in America, with economic opportunity for all.”

“The City recognizes that the most sustainable approach to waste management is to lead with waste reduction,” said Elizabeth Lankenau, Director, Office of Sustainability. The Office of Sustainability is committed to collaborating with the Office and Clean and Green, the Sanitation Department, and partners across the city to advance and accelerate zero waste goals. In particular, we are excited to support the innovative organics and sortation pilot ideas that resulted from this RFP process.”

“Waste diversion in Philadelphia is one impactful way for Philadelphia Gas Works to help lower greenhouse gas emissions and lead Philadelphia’s clean energy goals forward,” said Elliott Gold, Vice President of Corporate Planning, PGW. “This partnership can help identify and evaluate options for sorting, diverting and processing organic waste to productive purposes.”

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PGW Reminds Public to Be Aware of Imposter Utility Worker Scams

Customers should verify a utility worker before opening their doors

PHILADELPHIA (July 7, 2026) – This summer PGW is reminding customers to “Be sure before you open the door.” Reports of utility imposters targeting vulnerable residents are rising across Pennsylvania and are an unfortunate reminder that the public, especially caretakers of vulnerable individuals, should stay alert and help safeguard those in their care from imposter scams.

Before letting anyone claiming to be a utility worker into your home or business always ask for identification. Never provide personal information – such as your phone number or account number – without verifying that the person asking is who they claim to be. Customers who feel the slightest bit unsure about a person’s claim to be from PGW should call 911. The Philadelphia Police Department has a direct line to PGW and can verify a person’s claim that they are with PGW.

What should customers look for when a utility worker shows up? All PGW employees have:

• ID badges
• Official white vehicles with clearly visible PGW logos and municipal license plates
• PGW branded clothing

Here are tips to help prevent being the victim of a scam:

• Never share private information such as your PGW account number or Social Security number, with anyone over the phone, or via text or email.  PGW will never ask for a customer account number.  
• Do not provide unusual payment requests such as gift cards, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrency. PGW does not accept these payment methods.
• Do not act on urgent threats. If someone threatens immediate disconnection or shutoff of service, customers should hang up the phone, delete the email or shut the door. Customers with delinquent accounts receive a disconnection notification from PGW at least 10 days before any service termination. Customers can contact the Customer Care Team at 215-235-1000 to verify the status of their account. Customers who are concerned about paying past, present or future bills should reach out to the Customer Care Team, who can help guide them in identifying a program that fits their needs.
• Caretakers of vulnerable populations should:
  • Remind the person they are caring for to never open the door to unexpected utility workers. If someone comes to the door, they should either call their caretaker or 9-1-1 to get help in verifying.
  • Reinforce the fact that real utility employees do not collect payments at the door or demand immediate access under the threat of a shutoff.

For additional information about imposter awareness, download this brochure.

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PGW Offices and Customer Call Center to Close July 3 in Observance of Independence Day

PHILADELPHIA (July 1, 2026) – Philadelphia Gas Works’ (PGW) offices and the Customer Call Center will be closed in observance of Independence Day on Friday, July 3, 2026. PGW’s 24-hour Emergency Hotline (215-235-1212) will remain open only for odor calls and gas-related emergencies.

PGW offices will resume regular business hours on Monday, July 6, 2026.

Customers who need to access account information or pay their bill online can log into their PGW My Account, pay by phone at 215-235-1000, or make cash payments in person at hundreds of local retailers, including Walmart, CVS, Dollar General, Family Dollar, 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Walgreens. For information, visit pgworks.com/customer-care/your-home/ways-to-pay. 

Additionally, customers can now manage their My Account from the PGW mobile app. The one-stop app is a convenient way to manage your account, monitor usage, make payments, and more. Customers can download the app for free on the Apple store or on Google Play.

This year, America is celebrating its 250^th birthday, and PGW is proud to serve the city where it all began for the past 190 years. For a comprehensive list of family-friendly events and happenings to ring in America’s birthday, please visit: https://www.visitphilly.com/2026-philadelphia/.

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