Waste management

Russian Railways views efficient waste management as a prerequisite for transitioning to the circular economy. In the long run, the Company seeks to minimise waste sent to landfills by increasing its processing.

Production and consumption waste

In 2023, Russian Railways generated 1.44 mt of production and consumption waste, of which 0.075 mt was disposed of or decontaminated by the Company’s units. Given the waste generated by other business units in 2023, 1.55 mt of waste was transferred to third parties, including:

• 1.18 mt for subsequent disposal;
• 0.19 mt for decontamination;
• 0.18 mt for burial.

In 2023, the share of production and consumption waste sent to be buried amounted to 11.7%, which is 2 pp below 2022 (13.7%).

The Russian Railways Group's processes result in production and consumption waste of various hazard classes.

Structure of waste generation by hazard class in the reporting year

In 2023, Russian Railways generated 1.437 kt of production and consumption waste:

• Hazard class 1 – 124.42 t;
• Hazard class 2 – 126.98 t;
• Hazard class 3 – 134.56 t;
• Hazard class 4 – 189.21 t;
• Hazard class 5 – 1,113.40 t.

In 2023, the Company revised existing contracts and entered into new construction agreements with a focus on incorporating environmental safety requirements and traceability throughout the waste management cycle.

Over 85% of the waste generated by Russian Railways is decontaminated, reused or recycled. Most of it (ferrous and non‑ferrous scrap metals and used petroleum products) is handled by waste processing professionals. In addition, waste is disposed of and decontaminated in accordance with the classes 1–4 waste management licence obtained by Russian RailwaysLicence No. L020-00113-77/00114264 dated 21 December 2021..

Waste management

We are progressively implementing a policy to foster sustainable waste management practices relying on circular economy principles. In 2023, we took various steps to increase the share of reused or recycled waste:

• Faustovo, Yanaul and Podvoloshnaya railway stations operate facilities to recycle reinforced concrete sleepers into crushed aggregate for construction and clean scrap reinforcement steel. In 2023, we processed 35,155 reinforced concrete sleepers.
• The Ukladochny, Perm‑Sortirovochnaya and Tulun railway stations operate three disposal units for industrial rubber products. In 2023, the units recycled 711.1 t of waste, producing 350.1 t of rubber granules and 14,000 sq m of rubber flooring.
• Thermal neutralisation facilities of the Research and Production Centre for the Environmental Protection located at the Tagul railway station decontaminated 6.043 kt of industrial and medical waste.
• The reporting year saw a cogeneration unit at the Chernyakhovsk railway station consume hard fuel made of 28,100 wooden rails, generating 4,242 Gcal of heat and saving 576,36 cu m of natural gas.

Russian Railways operates facilities to handle railway‑specific waste, including wooden and reinforced concrete sleepers, rubber waste products, and oil‑containing waste. The Company is also implementing electronic document management and replacing mercury‑containing lamps with environmentally friendly, energy‑efficient lighting solutions, among other initiatives.

In order to meet its commitments under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Russian Railways decontaminated 135 t (2,613 pieces) of spent capacitors in March 2023. This process, the first of its kind in the country, was carried out at a specialised landfill in Shikhany, Saratov Region, utilising the safest method of thermal plasma treatment.

An example of how we implement circular economy principles is the processing of rubber products at three technology lines located at the Ukladochny railway station of the West‑Siberian Railway, the Perm‑Sortirovochnaya railway station of the Sverdlovskaya Railway, and the Tulun railway station of the East‑Siberian Railway.

Russian Railways’ passenger transportation business unit implements standard solutions for separate waste accumulation by engaging cleaning and outsourcing companies.

The reporting year also saw 2,463 t of paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, and household aluminium waste sent for disposal (up 272 t or 12% compared to 2,191 t in 2022).

In 2023, 158 railway stations were furnished with 216 reverse vending machines collecting plastic bottles and aluminium cans, with a bonus system in place for passengers. The reporting year saw 33,000 passengers hand over around 1.5 million containers for recycling, including 80% of plastic waste and 20% of household aluminium. Compared to 2022, the number of reverse vending machines increased eightfold (from 26 in 2022).

Russian Railways approved container sites for temporary collection of municipal solid waste and recyclable materialsRussian Railways’ Order No. 3325/r dated 26 December 2023..

The Company is committed to continuously enhancing waste management processes and promoting the separate collection of recyclable materials. To foster a sustainable environmental culture among passengers, a project was initiated to develop a network of reverse vending machines for collecting plastic bottles and aluminium cans, complete with a bonus system. This project introduced an innovative service for railway station passengers, increased the collection of recyclable waste, and reduced the volume of waste sent to landfills. Preserving the environment is a collective responsibility that requires each of us to recognise its importance and treat natural resources with care and respect. The environment is a shared effort of all of us.

Alexey Belonogov Chief Engineer of the Railway Stations Directorate