  We obtain new $L^1$ contraction results for bounded entropy solutions of
Cauchy problems for degenerate parabolic equations. The equations we consider
have possibly strongly degenerate local or non-local diffusion terms. As
opposed to previous results, our results apply without any integrability
assumption on the %(the positive part of the difference of) solutions. They
take the form of partial Duhamel formulas and can be seen as quantitative
extensions of finite speed of propagation local $L^1$ contraction results for
scalar conservation laws. A key ingredient in the proofs is a new and
non-trivial construction of a subsolution of a fully non-linear (dual)
equation. Consequences of our results are maximum and comparison principles,
new a priori estimates, and in the non-local case, new existence and uniqueness
results.
