DPF Recycling

Whether you’re a large national fleet, leasing company, or dealer group, it might be time to leverage your size and capture the income from recycling scrap emission parts. With a range of potential benefits, more and more large regional and national fleets are taking a closer look and implementing centralized recycling programs for diesel particulate filters (DPFs), diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs,) and three-way catalysts (TWCs).

Red Fox has developed customized recycling programs for many of the Top 100 Fleets to manage the scrap from emission control parts. These fleets have seen steady revenue generation and sustainability benefits through their programs.

Outlined below are details of the types of fleets that can leverage a customized recycling program and the primary value they are seeing.

Since 2007, new heavy-duty on-road diesel trucks sold in North America included diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) to comply with the emissions mandates of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In total, this now means well over 3 million DPFs and DOCs are on the road needing regular maintenance, cleaning, or replacement due to end-of-life failure or damage.

Red Fox Resources… A Stepping Stone to a Zero Waste Future

With the cost of waste disposal rising (up over 25% in the last 10 years), scrap metal prices hovering between $.10 and $.25 per pound and subject to the unknowns of international tariffs, now is as good of a time as any to consider a zero waste initiative through Red Fox Resources.

What is Zero Waste?

Zero waste is a system-wide waste management approach that is intended to change the way waste streams are managed as raw materials are made into final products. These products are then sold, used, and ultimately reach the end of their useful life. Zero Waste focuses on the restructuring of production, distribution, and recovery system to reduce waste at all stages of a product’s life.

As part of Red Fox Resources’ mission, we strive to provide informative resources for our customers and partners. To that end, as regulations are changed or newly adopted, we do our best to keep you informed. The following updates are relevant to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP) program, specifically new PSIP opacity limits.

Previously, the PSIP regulation required that diesel truck and bus fleet owners conduct annual smoke opacity inspections of their vehicles and repair those with excessive smoke emissions to ensure compliance.

As of May 25, 2018, CARB adopted changes to the current PSIP that requires California-based truck and bus fleets with two or more heavy-duty diesel vehicles to conduct annual smoke opacity self-inspections for all their vehicles. During these required inspections, a smoke opacity meter is used to measure and document the opacity readings for each vehicle in their fleet.

When discussing the values of scrap DPFs and DOCs it’s important to understand the big picture. The presence of Platinum Group Metals (PGM) in diesel particulate filters (DPFs), diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) and three-way catalysts drives the recycled or scrap values of these parts. As explained in our previous article discussing the pricing of scrap DPFs and DOCs, engine manufacturers coat the substrates of DPFs and DOCs with varying levels of PGM (e.g. platinum) to provide a chemical reaction in the exhaust stream that enables engines to meet EPA regulated emission standards.

Emission Parts Recycling Provides Revenue and Sustainability Opportunity for Mack Truck Dealers

Oakland, CA, February 2, 2018 – Red Fox Resources® is pleased to announce a partnership with Mack Trucks (North America) to provide Mack truck dealers with a program to recycle used emission control parts. This program allows Mack dealers to recycle scrap emission cores, such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs). Using fully compliant process, Red Fox Resources purchases scrap/used emission control systems from the dealer and reclaims the catalyst material for re-use.

Emission Parts Recycling Provides Sustainability and Revenue Opportunity for Volvo Truck Dealers

Oakland, CA, January 30, 2018 – Red Fox Resources® is pleased to announce a partnership with Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) to provide Volvo truck dealers with a program to recycle used emission control parts. This program allows Volvo dealers to recycle scrap emission cores, such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs). Red Fox Resources purchases scrap/used emission control systems from the dealer and reclaims the catalyst material for re-use.

We often use common customer questions as a yardstick for good topics that should be shared on our Red Fox Resources blog.  For example, a very common question is, “how do we prepare shipments of DPFs and DOCs to be shipped to and recycled by Red Fox Resources?”  It’s actually pretty straight forward, with the following requirements and a video overview:

1. The shipment must be palletized so it can be moved by forklift.
2. All the items must be secured on the pallet with shrink wrap or a wood/cardboard enclosure as shown in video.
3. Red Fox pays shipping costs only when you have a minimum of 5 DPFs/DOCs per shipment.

Oakland, CA, September 1, 2016 – This program allows dealers of Hino Trucks to recycle spent emission cores, such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs), that either fail OEM core acceptance criteria or do not carry a core value. Red Fox Resources purchases the spent emission control systems from the dealer and reclaims the catalyst material for re-use.

A Quick History – DPF and DOC Recycling:

Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) and Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs) have been a reality for fleets and diesel service shops around the US since 2007. In 2007 the EPA ratcheted down the emission standards for particulate matter (PM) from diesel engines by 90% from the 2002 standards. As a result of the implementation of the 2007 standard, engine OEMs were then required to include DPFs in their standard engine package as DPFs are able to achieve the emission reductions needed to meet the standard.  DPFs have been a standard component in diesel engines since 2007.

1. Failed Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) and Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs) can be recycled.

Many DPFs and DOCs carry a residual monetary value that can be converted to cash through recycling. Recycling failed DPFs/DOCs can also offset disposal costs while keeping the price of new catalyst parts down. While the monetary recycle value of DPFs vary, all DPFs can be recycled. Contact Red Fox if you’d like to find out what those failed DPFs sitting on your shop floor may be worth.