The Growing Need for Recycling within the Automatic Transmission Filter Market

Used lube oil and transmission sump filters are not considered hazardous waste if they are disposed of according to Federal guidelines. The options for disposal after hot draining include incineration, landfilling, and recycling. Landfilling of filters increasingly have been banned by more and more states. The states are requiring that filters be recycled. The OEMs have acknowledged this governmental trend for life cycle recycling by their establishment of the Vehicle Recycling Partnership, one of the consortia of the United States Council on Automotive Research (USCAR).

An all plastic transmission sump filter has been designed, developed, and is currently being manufactured for certain GM and Ford platforms. The use of a composite resin material and proprietary technology facilitates the effort to recycle. The recycled material may be used again when combined with virgin material to meet the OEM material specifications. Residual oil may also be recovered and reprocessed. In addition to the recyclability benefits of an all plastic transmission sump filter, functional benefits include design flexibility, structural integrity to prevent leakage and media disengagement allowing bypass, and a weight of 20 -- 40 percent less than the conventional all metal or composite (metal and plastic) transmission sump filter.