LNER reduces total waste by a third in five years

LNER has provided an update on its recycling efforts to coincide with Global Recycling Day.

The rail operator says it has reduced its total waste by a third over the past five years, and is now sorting up to 100kg of waste per day, at sorting hubs at Newcastle, Doncaster and Peterborough stations.

Dedicated cleaning teams are employed to collect tea and coffee cups, sandwich and snack wrappers, drinks cans and crisp packets, before they are then sorted by hand.

The operator highlighted its coffee cup recycling scheme which was launched in 2020, which it says has resulted in 2,300kg of cups avoiding landfill.

The firm is also looking to introduce vape pen recycling, and has established an “effective uniform recycling process for used or unwanted items”.

Commenting on the news Olivia Mouter, environmental partnerships manager at LNER, said:

“As a train company which operates more than 50,000 services and covers over 3,500 million miles a year, we are acutely aware of both the local and global impact we have. We put our people, places and planet at the heart of everything we do.

“It’s widely recognised that the train is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel, generating much less carbon than an equivalent car journey, but that’s not enough for us.

“We look to use resources in ways that minimise waste and promote reuse and recycling. Our customers play a key part too and we thank them for their consideration and support.”

Global Recycling Day was established in 2018 and is celebrated each year on 18 March – for information visit globalrecyclingday.com.

LNER’s most recent Responsible Business Report was published in October 2023, highlighting a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions since 2018/19. To read the report in full, click here.

lner.co.uk