Recycling rate at a high level
The construction and maintenance of the rail infrastructure involves the use of a variety of resources. These include building materials such as concrete, steel, gravel and sand. Waste materials are also produced that must be disposed of. We are transforming our approach to waste management from an optimized disposal management system into a modern resource management system. Our goal is to maintain our recycling rate at a high level of at least 95%, despite an increase in the intensity of construction activity. While we are already achieving a high rate for construction waste, this will be increased further, particularly in the area of municipal waste. In addition, we will make increasing use of recycled materials and extend the life of our production equipment, such as vehicles no. 87. This will help to increase the use of secondary raw materials and also conserve natural resources, since the production of recycled materials is better for the environment than extracting primary raw materials.
| Volume of waste according to type of disposal | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| Total waste (thousand t) | 12,807 | 12,642 | 12,921 | |
Recycling rate (%) | 98.0 | 98.0 | 98.62) | |
Share of thermal recovery (%) | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.4 | |
Share of disposal (%) | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.4 | |
Share of hazardous waste1) (%) | 3.7 | 3.3 | 5.1 | |
1) Pursuant to the List of Waste Ordinance, for example waste oil.
2) Figure adjusted.
By the use of specific measures such as selective dismantling and a contractual commitment to sorting and recycling facilities, we will maintain the share of recyclable waste at a high level and further reduce the proportion of waste that is destined for disposal or incineration. For example, we are currently working on the implementation of a strategy for disposing of mixed municipal waste with the aim of maximizing recycling of the materials it contains.
Volume of waste according to type (thousand t) | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| Total waste | 12,807 | 12,642 | 12,921 | |
thereof construction waste | 12,367 | 12,121 | 12,400 | |
thereof scrap metal | 318 | 378 | 375 | |
thereof electronic scrap | 1.5 | 6.1 | 4.3 | |
thereof municipal waster | 58.1 | 60.2 | 70.1 | |
thereof paper | 19.1 | 23.1 | 25.3 | |
thereof waste oil | 2.0 | 4.0 | 6.6 | |
thereof other1) | 41.5 | 49.6 | 40.1 | |
1) For example paint, varnish, sludge and other maintenance-related waste.
The introduction of a uniform waste management system served to further standardize data collection and reporting on waste data. In the year under review, about 165,000 tons more waste was generated. Two business areas have a significant influence on changes in the volume of our most important type of waste, construction waste. Both in the Stuttgart —Ulm project (+0.7 million t) and at DB Netz AG –0.4 million t), construction waste changed slightly compared to the previous year.
Although the recycling rate for construction waste fell slightly by 0.2 percentage points, it remained high at 98.4%. All other waste volumes declined significantly in the year under review.