BFI Waste Services $40 Million Price Increase Settlement

Commercial or industrial customers who received waste hauling or recycling services from BFI Waste Services LLC or its corporate affiliates and paid price increases between Jan. 1, 2017, and Sept. 30, 2025, may be eligible to claim $100 to $250 from a class action settlement.

BFI Waste Services LLC and several affiliated companies agreed to pay $40 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging they increased prices for contracted waste hauling and recycling services for commercial and industrial customers by more than what certain contracts allowed.

Who can file a claim?

Class members must meet the following conditions:

• They were an open-market commercial or industrial customer in one of the following locations:
• South Carolina
• Florida
• California
• Pennsylvania
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Illinois
• Texas
• Ohio
• Indiana
• Arkansas
• Oklahoma
• Jefferson County, Alabama

• They entered into an automatically renewing written contract for waste hauling and/or recycling services with BFI Waste Services LLC, its affiliates or its sister companies.
• Their contract contained a rate adjustment provision allowing for unilateral price increases for specific reasons, such as disposal costs, transportation costs, Consumer Price Index increases or changes in applicable laws.
• They paid rate increases during the class period that exceeded the combined total of 6% for cost increases plus the applicable increase in the CPI.

The class periods vary by state:

• Florida, California, Illinois, South Carolina and Jefferson County, Alabama: Jan. 1, 2017, through Sept. 30, 2025
• Michigan, Ohio and Indiana: June 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2025
• Pennsylvania: Aug. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2025
• Massachusetts: June 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2025
• Texas: Sept. 30, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2025
• Arkansas: Jan. 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2018
• Oklahoma: Jan. 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021

Who is excluded from the class?

• Customers who received services under a franchise agreement
• Customers whose contract expired and who operated without a written contract
• Customers whose contract BFI did not fully execute or listed as “unsigned” in its database
• Customers who signed a contract on or after April 4, 2021, or whose contract contained a class action waiver or arbitration provision
• Customers who negotiated material changes to the form contract, such as restrictions on price increases or a term of one year or less without autorenewal
• Customers whose contract allowed the provider to adjust prices to achieve or maintain an acceptable operating margin
• Customers who received credits or refunds that offset any price increases during the class period

How much is the BFI Waste Services payout?

Class members who submit a valid claim can receive:

• $100 if submitting a claim containing just their account number
• $200 to $250 if submitting a claim containing contract details, including their account number

The settlement administrator will determine the exact amount for contract claims by the number of valid claims submitted:

• 190,001 or more contract claims: $200 each
• 180,001 to 190,000: $210 each
• 170,001 to 180,000: $220 each
• 160,001 to 170,000: $230 each
• 150,001 to 160,000: $240 each
• 150,000 or fewer: $250 each

If the total value of all valid claims exceeds the net settlement fund (the amount left after subtracting attorneys’ fees, expenses, service awards and administration costs), the settlement administrator will reduce payments proportionally.

How to claim an award

Class members can file a claim online or download, print, complete and mail the PDF claim form to the settlement administrator. The claim deadline is April 30, 2026.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: BFI Waste Services Settlement, c/o RG2 Claims Administration LLC, P.O. Box 59479, Philadelphia, PA 19102-9479

What proof or documentation is necessary to submit a claim?

• To file an online claim, class members must provide the login and password from the notice postcard they received.
• To file an account number claim, class members must provide their account number.
• To file a contract claim, class members must provide:
• A copy of their contract at the time of the alleged improper price increase
• An invoice reflecting the price increase
• Their account number (if not listed on the contract or invoice)
• An attestation that they paid the increased prices during the class period

Payout options

• Check mailed to the provided address
• Electronic payment (online claims only)
• Invoice credit (current customers only)

$40 million settlement fund breakdown

The $40,000,000 settlement fund includes:

• Settlement administration costs: Amount not specified
• Attorneys' fees: Up to $13,333,333
• Attorneys' expenses: Up to $1,785,000
• Service awards to class representatives: $285,000 total
• Payments to eligible class members: The remainder of the fund

Important dates

• Deadline to opt out: March 17, 2026
• Fairness hearing: March 31, 2026
• Deadline to file a claim: April 30, 2026

When is the BFI Waste Services settlement payout date?

The settlement administrator will issue payments 135 days after the court grants final approval to the settlement.

Why is there a class action settlement?

The class action lawsuit claimed BFI Waste Services LLC and its affiliates raised prices for waste hauling and recycling services for contracted commercial and industrial customers by more than what their contracts allowed.

The companies denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the uncertainty, risks and costs of continued litigation.

Sources

1. Claim form
2. Class notice
3. Settlement agreement