Dive Brief: - The Philadelphia Department of Sanitation on Friday announced plans to award solid waste disposal contracts to WM, Reworld and Republic Services. The decision adds Republic to the city's list of waste providers and retains WM and Reworld, the latter of which operates the contentious Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility in nearby Chester, Pennsylvania. - Several Philadelphia city councilmembers have advocated for an end to the practice of burning Philadelphia's waste, making the contract procurement process particularly contentious. Opponents say ending shipments of the city's waste to Reworld Delaware Valley would likely force the facility to shut down. - The four-year contracts with the providers still need to be finalized. The city has not yet disclosed details, including the amount of waste each company is likely to accept. Dive Insight: Philadelphia has spent several months analyzing proposals from waste companies in the area. It initially released a request for proposals on Dec. 23, and began accepting bids on March 20, per the procurement department. The city had previously signed seven-year contracts with WM and Reworld that expired at the end of Philadelphia’s fiscal year on June 30. The Sanitation Department extended those contracts by six months to cover the belated RFP process, according to a release. Last year, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introduced a bill that would forbid the burning of Philadelphia's MSW. The bill came close to a vote, but at a council meeting in January she postponed that vote as it didn't appear clear the bill would pass. The Reworld Delaware Valley facility was built in 1992, and has long faced opposition from area residents. Pennsylvania considers Chester to be an area with environmental justice concerns, due in part to a pollution burden in the 99th percentile compared to other communities around the state. The area is