According to the Filter Manufacturers Council, an organization representing North American vehicular filtration products, there are three main types of service providers when it comes to filter management collection. They advise that a filter management company may handle any or all of these services:
- Transporter: A company that transports used oil filters.
- Processor: A company that itself shreds, crushes or otherwise prepares a filter for its disposal or end use.
- Recycler: A company that itself produces a new product from used filters.
When researching a filter management company, the Filter Manufacturers Council offers the following criteria to consider:
- Does the company have general liability insurance or environmental insurance? If so, what specific events are covered by these policies?
- Will the company provide you with the names and phone numbers of business references?
- Do you receive an audit trail from each point that the filters are handled?
- Does the company have any past or pending environmental enforcement actions?
- How long have they been in the filter business, and what related services do they provide for other automotive wastes and how are these materials managed?
- What is done to the filters? How are they processed? (e.g., crushed, shredded, dismantled)
- What is the ultimate disposition of the filters? Are they recycled, or disposed of in a landfill?
- What requirements must the generator meet to satisfy the transporter’s, processor’s and recycler’s specification for the filters? (e.g., drained, punctured, kept in spill-proof containers)
- Does the company have all appropriate licenses and permits required by the state and/or federal regulators allowing them to handle used oil filters?
- Does the company provide a written contract that provides the following:
- Price
- Exact services provided by the vendor (e.g., frequency, what is done to the filters, who else handles the filters)
- Your responsibilities as a generator (e.g., other wastes allowed in containers, type of containers, draining requirements)