The dumpster law: What you need to know – Philadelphia, PA

The dumpster law: What you need to know is an informational brochure from the City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) that explains the city's dumpster licensing requirement, the types of dumpster licenses, the rules for using dumpsters, and how to complain or appeal.

The brochure describes a dumpster as any container for trash or recyclable material that is serviced by a provider and designed for repeated reuse. A container serviced by the City of Philadelphia is not included. It explains that City Council passed an ordinance in 2009 requiring the licensing of dumpsters and regulating their use, in response to concerns about the public hazard and litter that dumpsters created.

It covers two license types: a one-time fee license for a dumpster on private property (including parking lots, private alleys and driveways) and an annual license for a dumpster in the public right-of-way on the street or sidewalk. It also covers the medallion that must be affixed to every dumpster, the emptying, cleaning, litter and screening rules, and enforcement.

This is a guide, not an application. The license applications, the hauler form, the plot plan form and the checklists are separate documents that L&I lists on its dumpster license documents page.

Anyone who uses a container for refuse or recyclable materials, of any size, that is serviced by a private hauler needs a dumpster license, according to the brochure. Read it if you are in one of these groups:

• Businesses and property owners with a dumpster on private property, including parking lots, private alleys and driveways.
• Users who place a dumpster in the public right-of-way, on the street or sidewalk.
• Haulers. The brochure says haulers must meet performance standards, and that every construction dumpster needs an annual license acquired by the hauler.
• Food-related establishments, which must install garbage disposals for grindable garbage.
• Neighbors and residents who want to find out whether a nearby dumpster is licensed, complain about it or appeal its placement.

Containers serviced by the City of Philadelphia are not dumpsters under the brochure. Temporary construction dumpsters in the public right-of-way need a special permit from the Streets Department, not only a dumpster license.

A license is needed before a dumpster is used and placed: the brochure says every dumpster user requires approval to use and place a dumpster. Dumpsters on private property carry a one-time fee. Dumpsters in the public right-of-way carry an annual license and an annual fee, and all construction dumpsters need an annual license acquired by the hauler. The brochure sets no application deadline of its own. Operating rules apply once the dumpster is in use: it must be emptied at least once a week (twice a week if it holds non-grindable food waste), cleaned at least twice a year, and not serviced between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

This brochure is not submitted anywhere. A dumpster license application goes to L&I through one of two channels:

• In person: the Permit and License Center at the Municipal Services Building (the L&I page places it in the MSB Concourse).
• Online: through eCLIPSE.

L&I says not to mail applications. Temporary construction dumpsters in the public right-of-way need a special permit: contact the Streets Department's Right of Way Unit at (215) 686-5500/01/02/03 or go to the Municipal Services Building, 9th Fl., 1401 JFK Blvd. More information is at phila.gov/services.

A fee applies: one-time fees for private property and annual fees for the public right-of-way, set by dumpster size and use. The fee schedule is in the brochure.

To appeal a rejected license, file with the Board of License and Inspection Review in person at the Municipal Services Building, by appointment only, at www.phila.gov/li/appointment. FillingPDF lets you open and download the brochure PDF; applications follow the agency channels above.