Sustainable Resource Use
Sustainable Resource Use
Efficient use and re-use of resources are key aspects of making sure our railway network can operate sustainably for future generations.
We conduct initiatives such as water efficiency audits, investigate opportunities to reduce waste and increase the use of recycled materials on our network.
Recycled plastic sleeper trial at Richmond Station
In a first for Victoria’s public transport network, trains travelling through Richmond Station are now running on railway sleepers made from recycled plastic.
This helps reduce the pressure on timber resources and concrete production. Concrete production is the second largest carbon emitter in the world. It also enables better waste management as these recycled plastic sleepers have a longer service life and can be recycled again into new sleepers.
190 sleepers were installed as part of a trial.
Produced locally, these sleepers comprised of 85% recycled Australian sourced plastic waste containing a mix of polystyrene, agricultural plastic waste and other materials which were previously sent to landfill. For every kilometre of railway track installed with these sleepers, 64 tonnes of plastic waste is recycled.
