Recycling on track for SL

After over 20 years in Stockholm's service, it was time for 42 commuter trains to be recycled. The last journey went all the way into Stena Recycling's recycling facility in early 2017. The 101 ton heavy trains could be 97 percent recycled. Many parts could also be dismantled to be reused.

What could be better than letting worn-out trains roll all the way to the end station on rails? That was just the solution Stena Recycling could offer when Stockholm County Council decided to take these commuter trains out of service. No expensive and energy-intensive special transports were needed. The last trip went straight into the recycling plant in Hallstahammar, one of many Stena Recycling branches with a connection to the railway network.

Hallstahammar became the final station for the trains, but with the help of Stena Recycling's expertise, virtually all material could live on as recycled raw materials in new products. Iron and other metals are always sought after in smelters around the world for the production of new steel for example. Parts such as motors and technical equipment could also be removed to be reused as spare parts. In a sustainability perspective, reuse is always preferable if possible.

Trains are complex constructions, where many parts contain a combination of different metals and other materials. Thanks to Stena Recycling's new automated separation processes, these parts could also be recycled to almost 100 percent. Of the 42 commuter trains, a total of 4,200 tons of material went for recycling or reuse.