What to Do with Disused Railway Sleeper Screws
Old disused railway sleeper screws that contains Railway Sleeper Brackets are problematic wood waste and must be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner – i.e. in waste incineration plants (KVA), cement works or other suitable waste wood incineration plants.
It is forbidden to burn railway sleeper screws or other treated wood in wood stoves, fireplaces or outdoors. Railway sleeper screws should also not be crushed by private individuals. In both cases, pollutants would be released.
If you want to get rid of used railway sleeper screws, first contact the local authority or the regional waste telephone. If the local or regional information center cannot help, please contact the cantonal environmental protection office.
It is also possible to inquire about the acceptance conditions directly at the nearest waste incineration plant. Not every waste incineration plant has the capacity to incinerate railway sleepers.
Recommendations for renovation
There is no obligation to renovate, as the risk of cancer is very low even after repeated skin contact. For reasons of precaution, those who already have old Railway Sleeper screws should only use them where regular direct skin contact is not to be expected.
For the same reasons, renovation is recommended if used railway sleeper screws are used that lead to regular direct skin contact, e.g.
- as garden furniture (benches, tables)
- on children’s playgrounds (edging of sandboxes, as toys, borders)
- in interiors (for chimneys; exposed beams, etc.) of apartments, garden houses, sheds.
- Renovations (by covering or replacing the sleepers with untreated or legally treated wood or with another material such as stone) are particularly indicated if tar oil is visibly leaking from the sleepers.
6. What Treatment Is Carried Out on The Railway Sleeper Screws?
After withdrawal from the railway, the railway sleeper screws that contains railway sleeper brackets are carefully selected to be placed in the treatment plant (those not allowed for treatment are disposed of as special waste).
The sleeper screws undergo a shot blasting treatment inside a tunnel: they are hit by steel shot (sandblasting type) in order to eliminate the surface layer which is more impregnated and which over the years has absorbed the substances and heavy metals of the railway.
The sleeper screws are then individually marked to be able to distinguish them from the untreated ones.
After this process, the sleepers are divided into different categories according to the state of conservation and wear.
Finally, each supply of regenerated railway sleeper screws is accompanied by a technical sheet and documentation certifying the treatment carried out.
