Creating a circular economy from waste

Railways generate significant amounts of consumer waste daily, including many hard to recycle plastics such as wrappers, packaging and single-use containers discarded by passengers in stations or onboard our services. LNER currently operates 3 waste sorting facilities (Newcastle, Peterborough and Doncaster), where waste is manually segregated into its relevant waste streams and taken away by our waste contractor for further processing and recycling. LNER would like to implement a more circular approach to waste management, in which waste can be processed, reused or recycled onsite to reduce the export of waste outside our operations and minimise the import of new materials into the business. Having successfully trialled one solution, LNER would like to understand the level of market interest and to identify alternative methods of addressing the challenge.

How might we:

Re-purpose waste generated on trains and at stations into commercially viable products?

Develop innovative, low carbon technologies to recycle waste at station facilities?

Minimise the carbon footprint of transporting waste between processing infrastructure to reduce emissions?

Constraints

Processing or collection systems must integrate with existing waste collection processes

Solutions must minimise carbon emissions, especially from waste transport and processing

Preference for models that offer a commercial return or offset costs through product sales, carbon credits, or public engagement

Additional Context:

LNER have successfully developed and piloted a solution via the Future Labs programme, but before going out to tender we wish to engage with the market to ensure that we are considering all relevant technology that currently is available or in development.