As of January 1, 2026, the recovery fee grid has been updated to reflect recent cost changes. This includes but is not limited to higher insurance rates, increased security/cyber security costs, increased transportation/fleet costs and tariffs. Please see the rate index tables listed below for more details.
Safety-Kleen is committed to controlling costs in order to provide customers with the high-value products and services they have come to expect. Unfortunately, there are variable or non-standard costs we cannot fully control, and due to the nature of these costs, we believe our customers are best served by not trying to recoup these costs through the price of our products and services. We believe our customers deserve a higher level of visibility and transparency to these costs and how they impact all our businesses today.
Our standard recovery fee is meant to help us cover these costs and maintain an acceptable operating margin. The variable recovery fee is a single line item on customer invoices comprised of four components: a fixed charge for insurance, security/cybersecurity and tariffs, plus a variable charge for fuel costs.
Fuel Component
This charge helps us keep up with the changing costs of diesel and other hydrocarbon-based fuels and allows us to achieve the operating margin we need to maintain a high level of service. Our fuel component calculation is tied directly to the national average price of diesel fuel as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration or the Natural Resources Canada websites. These indexes are objective, publicly available and widely recognized as an industry standard. Tying our fuel component to these indexes ensures customers are assessed a charge that is easy to calculate, adjusted in a timely fashion and equitable to all parties.
Visit the U.S. DOE's Energy Information Administration or the Natural Resources Canada's Monthly Average Retail Prices for Diesel sites to learn more.
The average diesel rates reported on these sites for the month prior will determine the fee amount for the current month, which will be updated on the first Monday of every month. Minimum and maximum charges will apply and will vary according to average diesel rates reported on the DOE website. The tables below show the recovery fee rate that will apply as a percentage of your invoice charges before taxes (or applicable min/max) based upon the variable fuel component.
Click here to view the U.S. rate index table.
Click here to view the Canadian rate index table.
Security/Cyber Security & Transportation Component
The security and transportation portion of the fee is made up of additional costs that Safety-Kleen incurs to maintain heightened security at our facilities and for our transportation fleet and associated employee costs. Regulations such as the Patriot Act have increased costs, and Homeland Security measures that have been instituted have also driven up costs.
We also incur additional costs to operate our transportation fleet due to an increase in road stops and checks. We are considered at greater risk by Homeland Security because we transport hazardous waste; therefore, our trucks are stopped more frequently for roadside checks. The time spent on these checks directly increases our cost of transportation.
Furthermore, all employees are now subject to background checks. We must pay an outside agency to complete these thorough checks. These are direct costs we incur to maintain security.
Insurance Component
The insurance portion of the fee is made up of additional insurance costs we incur from higher insurance rates. As a result of billions of dollars in claims, the insurance industry has passed along much of the expense in the form of rate increases.
Tariffs
The tariff portion of the Recovery Fee includes taxes or duties imposed on imported goods. New or changing tariffs can increase the cost of imported materials and products, potentially leading to higher prices for our customers or adjustments to our supply chain and sourcing strategies. Tariff policies are subject to change based on trade negotiations and government decisions and will be monitored closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do you charge a fuel component?
A: The historical fluctuation in the cost of diesel fuel has made it difficult for our Company to recover and administer fuel expenses in standard operating margins. Our vehicles that run on diesel get 4 to 5 miles per gallon. In addition, third party vendors that transport our waste charge us a fuel surcharge or an increased price for added fuel costs.
Q: If the price of fuel goes down, will my fuel component go down too?
A: Yes, because the charge is tied to independent national indexes for diesel prices in the U.S. or Canada. If those national average diesel prices fall, your fuel component will come down as well. This information is updated monthly.
Q: Why is there a fuel component when the cost of fuel is less than what it was when my service began or was renewed?
A: Our service rates reflect a $2.30/gallon baseline fuel rate, which we selected when we implemented the most recent recovery fee program.
Q: Will the security or insurance fee component change each month?
A: No. The security and insurance charge will not fluctuate each month. The percentage may be changed periodically if there is a business determination that warrants a change in the charge.