Network Rail Release: Network Rail recycles the motorists' waste

June 2005

Rail Staff have learnt that literally millions of waste tyres have been recycled in to rubber level crossings, platforms and track access points by Network Rail, therefore significantly reducing global warming; ozone depletion and land contamination which would result from alternative means of tyre disposal.

300 million new tyres are generated by the European Union every year causing acute disposal problems. When these reach the end of their life most will be either buried in landfill or burned. A total of 30 million tyres are discarded in the UK each year, of which 50% are not recycled and go into landfill and tyre.

If you put all the Network Rail’s waste rubber crossings together, it would make over 15km of recycled rubber, in which not a single ounce of virgin rubber is used!