At Clean Earth, we value the patronage of our customers and strive to provide you with the safest and cost effective service in the environmental solutions industry. Each and every day we look for opportunities to improve our service capabilities to maintain our standing as your environmental service provider of choice. Like many of you, Clean Earth continues to absorb rising costs, many of which are beyond our control. Many of these costs are directly tied to commodities and industries that have risen at a pace far exceeding our normal operating costs. The majority of these increases come from fuel and other energy-related products/services, insurance, environmental regulatory compliance, and costs related to increasing security requirements.

Our ability to recover these costs in a timely fashion enables us to continue operating profitably, which in turn, allows us to continue to provide high service standards to our customers. Clean Earth has implemented a recovery program that incorporates each of these costs components in a fixed fee that will change monthly based on the national average for diesel prices, as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Clean Earth’s Energy and Insurance fixed charge has two components. The first is a fixed 4% charge that assists in cost recovery for insurance, security, and environmental regulatory compliance. The second is a variable charge for energy-related costs that will track the national average price for diesel fuel as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy each month. This charge is applied to the entire invoice, less taxes and fees. The variable energy charge is established by the third business day of every month based on the four-week trailing average prices of diesel published by the Department of Energy and available at (https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/) 

The Clean Earth Fuel Surcharge Table shows the Fuel Surcharge, as a percentage of a customer’s monthly or other periodic invoice charges, before taxes, which is based from the last reported EIA/DOE national diesel price prior to a customer’s invoice date.

 

Fuel Surcharge:

Fuel Surcharge Table

The rates for December 2023 are: Regular(R) = 21%, Broker (B) = 19%, Floating (F) = 4% adjustment. The trailing average price of Diesel from the week of October 30, 2023, through the week of November 27, 2023 was $4.29 per gallon. 

Frequently asked questions
FAQs
  • Q. How is the charge applied to an invoice?

    A. The charge will be applied to the entire invoice, less taxes, fees, and certain administrative services.

  • Q: Why are we charging the charge?

    A. Many of the costs associated with this charge are based on broad commodity or industry changes that cannot be directly controlled through internal efforts. Additionally, the pace at which these costs increase adds an element of volatility than cannot be incorporated into our normal cost structure. The recovery of these costs is necessary for us to continue providing the level of service our customers deserve and expect from Clean Earth.

  • Q: What makes up the fixed portion of the charge?

    A. The fixed portion is this charge is comprised of insurance, environmental regulatory compliance, and increased security at our facilities.

    Insurance – At Clean Earth, we pride ourselves on keeping our employees and facilities safe, and being a good steward to of our environment. This translates into constant management and continuous improvement of work practices that limit any incidents that may result in an insurance claim. However, the insurance industry as a whole continues to experience increases in property insurance and claims which raise costs to everyone.

    Environmental Compliance – Regulatory compliance under both state and federal agencies continues to increase as safety and environmental concerns grow in our country. Additionally, Clean Earth takes great pride in being a strong environmental steward and investing in required training, property, and equipment that enables us to continue with this core belief.

    Security – Like many of the environmental services providers that manage hazardous waste, we have incurred increasing costs related to enactments and regulations falling under Homeland Security. Required surveillance and security measures, along with increased background checks for our personnel have increased costs since September 11, 2001.

  • Q: What makes up the energy/fuel portion of the fee?

    A. Energy-related costs cover more the rising gasoline and diesel prices that are highly visible at the pump. The true impact of fossil fuel increases impact many area of our operations:

    – Fossil fuel and natural gas to operate our facilities
    – Chemicals required for treatment of hazardous waste
    – Diesel fuel for our transportation fleet
    – Diesel fuel for 3rd party transporters
    – Rail and marine transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes
    – Fuel surcharges we receive from other transportation-related services

  • Q: Will my recovery charge go down if the national average price of diesel goes down?

    A. Yes. Clean Earth bases the recovery charge on where the average trailing four week price of diesel rises or falls within a band on the sliding scale used for adjusting the recovery charge rate. Any change in the calculated rate will apply to all invoices generated after the adjustment is made by the third business day of every month.

  • How is Fuel Surcharge calculated?

    The Fuel Surcharge calculation is tied directly to the national average price of diesel fuel as reported weekly by the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy ("EIA/DOE") in its Weekly Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices Index. This index is publicly available and widely recognized in the trucking and transportation industries. We use this index that ensures customers are assessed a fuel surcharge that is currently adjusted.