How do I report illegal dumping in Philadelphia?

Still report it. Dumping on vacant lots is still illegal, but the city uses a different form for it. The online illegal dumping form is for streets and sidewalks only. For trash on a vacant lot, file a vacant lot cleanup request instead, which goes to the city’s CLIP program. You can also call 311 for either situation. The operator will route it correctly.

That's what investigators need most. Register your camera with the police department's Safe Cam Program. Camera footage has led to fines and prosecution.

It's supposed to. Mayor Parker launched an Illegal Dumping Task Force in November 2025. It includes 40 city employees with authority to issue violation notices, including SWEEP officers and park rangers, a dozen staff monitoring more than 400 surveillance cameras, and Philadelphia Police Department partners who investigate severe cases. In its first five months, the task force issued 105 violation notices, cleared 88 enforcement cases, and secured $3.5 million in judgments against illegal dumpers, according to Mayor Parker's March 2026 budget address. (A judgment is a court ruling; the city has not said how much of the $3.5 million has actually been collected.) Fines are up to $5,000 per item if a vehicle is used, or up to $2,000 per item without one. Four tires dumped from a truck can cost $20,000. Dumpers can face arrest, and people who hire contractors to dump their waste illegally can also be fined. It's not clear yet whether this enforcement reaches every neighborhood. But filing a report creates a record that makes it harder for the city to ignore your block.