Environmentally Friendly Recycling of Wooden Railway Sleepers

Abstract

Th e paper presents directions for ensuring development while protecting the environment and natural resources. Mineral raw materials and natural energy resources should be replaced by secondary raw materials from post-consumer and postproduction waste, which is constantly increasing. Th ese demands are the basis of the Community program: Zero Waste for Europe. Th e circular economy concept should also be implemented in the rail sector to ensure proper waste management as well as energy savings and material recovery. Th e recycling process should include, among others, depleted wooden railway sleepers impregnated with creosote oil, which cause a great environmental problem. Th e principles of application and requirements for wooden railway elements impregnated with creosote oil are discussed. Th ere are also factors that impede a comprehensive approach to recycling of the products concerned. At the same time, methods for the thermal decomposition of organic waste by thermolysis and properties of the obtained products from old wooden railway sleepers are characterized.