Natalie Cameron
Australasia Press Office,Sydney
Arup has partnered with the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation (ACRI) and the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) on a ground-breaking report that aims to reduce waste and the rail industry’s impact on the environment by informing and upskilling Australasian rail providers around opportunities to use recycled materials within freight rail and infrastructure projects.
By exploring a wide range of recycled material options, including recycled plastic, ballast, concrete, water, rubber, glass and steel, and their context for use in the construction and maintenance of rail infrastructure, the report aims to empower the sector to invest in these materials and drive an increase in research, trials, and implementation across rail networks in Australasia.
As Australia experiences unprecedented investment in rail freight and infrastructure projects, the report aims to support the industry to seize the opportunity to build our cities’ infrastructure in a more sustainable way, to benefit the future natural environment and our communities.
“This research highlights how recycled materials will assist with adopting circular economy principles, which also has applicability to passenger rail. I’m excited to see our industry making genuine progress on the journey towards smarter, more sustainable rail,” said Alice Reis, Australasian Rail Leader at Arup.