managing environmental risk

The rail network is a high value public asset which provides essential services to the community. But it is also an old industrial tool, built before the impacts of economic activities on the environment were known and regulated. Close to human and natural habitats, the rail network must today measure the consequences of its activities on the environment.

Réseau Ferré de France leads an active policy for risk management and impact on natural environments.

 

Electrical machines containing toxic substances
Réseau Ferré de France has one of the largest electrical fleets, with close to 4,000 machines likely to contain PCB and PCT (polycholorobiphenyl and terphenyl). These molecules, used since the 1920’s in electrical transformers and condensers, have remarkable isolating properties but are highly toxic for humans and the environment.

We have begun a specific plan to eliminate them in accordance with the ministry responsible for ecology since 2003.
By the end of 2008, Réseau Ferré de France had treated over three quarters of the fleet and will be on schedule to finish decontamination by the end of 2010.
Furthermore, we have respected the principle of responsibility by going beyond the regulations, which require a maximum concentration of 500 parts per million (ppm) of PCB in oils contained in machines, to be below the limit of 50 ppm from which a machine is considered as exempt from PCB according to the rules.

 

Wooden sleepers impregnated with creosote
Wooden sleepers treated with creosote have been used since the early days of railways. Easy to put in place, resistant over time, they are fitted to most of the network with a stock estimated at over 50 million units.

Creosote is a product classified as level 2 carcinogenic. Consequently, impregnated sleepers that have been removed constitute dangerous waste in terms of community regulations. To this end, Réseau Ferré de France is responsible for this waste until its destruction and must ensure its traceability. We therefore decided in 2008 to forbid their retail sale. This rule was extended to individuals in October 2009.

From now on, all non re-used sleepers will be sent to treatment lines that propose a favourable recycling from a commercial point of view.

 

 

Managing vegetation and reasonable use of phytosanitary products
The track and pathway must be exempt from vegetation to prevent any disorder of geometry or railway sub-ballast. Phytosanitary products are therefore used to prevent the appearance of vegetation in these areas.

The rail system is subject to regulations for spraying these substances. It must comply with quantities, instructions and restrictions for use: type of active substance, limitation of spraying close to running water, protection perimeter for drinking water, etc.
Over 25 years, the total amount of herbicides sprayed over the Réseau Ferré National network has been cut in half. The most dangerous active substances such as Diuron have been removed.

Since 2009, Réseau Ferré de France is looking to go further by using constructive anti-vegetation devices. The aim is to prevent the invasion of vegetation on the track and pathway using concrete devices which enable phytosanitary products to no longer be sprayed during maintenance.