Ricardo's circular economy expertise, in partnership with The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), has achieved a milestone in a pioneering project. This project aims to create a comprehensive set of metrics for the rail industry to track progress towards a zero waste goal. The initiative aligns with the broader objective of promoting resource efficiency and a collaborative circular economy within the rail sector.
Through meticulous analysis and collaboration, the project has identified key metrics to gauge the industry's circular economy performance. These metrics will enable consistent measurement and drive the widespread adoption of circular principles across rail assets, infrastructure, and operations.
Key Achievements Include:
- Identification of existing metrics, data flows, and reporting practices across rail and other sectors.
- Prioritization of metrics based on relevance, feasibility, and practicality.
- Development of data collection strategies to implement the chosen metrics.
These core metrics encompass a range of essential factors, including station waste generation, surplus food redistribution, recycled content in rail assets, and more. Progressive metrics, such as materials efficiency and critical material usage, are also identified for longer-term implementation.
As RSSB and Ricardo pilot the implementation of these metrics with rail organizations, the insights gained will refine these recommendations, setting the stage for consistent measurement and reporting of circular economy performance.
“Our recommendations will stimulate greater engagement across the GB rail industry, and advance circular activity and understanding. The metrics we have identified will enable consistent monitoring and reporting of circular performance across its assets, infrastructure, and operations. This represents a significant step forward in how the industry reports its environmental performance, building upon existing waste management practices whilst future-proofing itself against upcoming market and legislative challenges,” commented Andrew Dunwoody, Ricardo's Head of Circular Economy.
