ÖBB Annual Report 2023

129 Group Management Report Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 84 Resource management in the subgroup companies. In the area of ÖBB-Technische Services-Gesellschaft mbH, which is responsible for the maintenance of rail vehicles, the use of resources plays an essential role. In 2023, 24% fewer environmentally relevant substances were produced than in the previous year (2023: 1,324 tonnes, py: 1,744 tonnes). For example, careful handling or a reduction in the amount of adhesives or coatings used is being promoted. In addition, ÖBB-Technische Services-Gesellschaft mbH is focusing on the subject of component reconditioning. In the process, numerous components are reprocessed and reused to reduce the volume of waste and conserve resources. For example, seats, toilets, auxiliary heaters, electrical elements as well as towing and pushing devices and much more are carefully reconditioned and brought up to date – a process known as “refurbishing”. The Österreichische Postbus Aktiengesellschaft offers workshop employees a regular washing and repair service for their work clothes. The effect is that the garments remain in use for longer. Those that are beyond repair – including drivers’ uniforms – are used as cleaning cloths in the workshops wherever possible. New clothing is planned for the drivers from 2024. The new uniforms are made of 100% cotton which makes it easier to return them to the resource cycle at the end of their useful life. The Vösendorf traffic control centre has already made it mandatory to return uniforms and rucksacks after leaving the service. Attention is also paid to conserving resources in rail freight transport. The TransANT freight wagon innovation has reduced material consumption per wagon by 20%. At the end of their life, the freight wagons are completely scrapped and reused for the production of new steel. In 2023, 1,369 tonnes of wagons were scrapped in the Rail Cargo Group in Austria (py: 6,085 tonnes). ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG attaches just as much importance to the careful use of internal resources as it does to endeavouring to avoid waste and reuse materials. Here an example from track construction: the reuse of track ballast. Existing track ballast is cleaned by machine and reinstalled in the ballast bed. Excavation machines (AHM) are used for subsoil remediation. In the process, the upper section of the ballast bed is broken up, mixed with new material and reinstalled in the track as a base course. The remaining track ballast material is excavated together with the subsoil and disposed of, i.e. recycled accordingly. This results in reuse in the sense of resource conservation and a reduction in the amount of waste. Resource conservation and circular economy (focus on AT) 2023 2022 ÖBB-Technische Services-Gesellschaft mbH - component preparation in pieces Pneumatic and brake components 44,268 42,168 Diesel engines / transmissions 190 199 Air-conditioning units 1,342 1,110 Windows 3,003 2,935 ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG – Recovery of track ballast in tons Reclaiming track ballast as track ballast 233,000 247,000 Reclaiming track ballast as a base layer 10,000 22,000 Waste 306-1, 306-2 Waste is to be one of the main strategic approaches in the structuring of the circular economy. This should ensure that existing resources are utilised optimally. To this end, the development of a raw materials management system at ÖBB is being driven forward. ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG accounts for approx. 99% of the waste generated by the ÖBB Group. This results from the tasks as the client of large construction projects in the course of investments (renewal / new construction / expansion), but also in maintenance (inspection / maintenance / fault clearance / repair). In 2023, approx. 3.70 million tonnes (py: approx. 6.74 million tonnes) of waste was generated, 45% less than in 2022. Non-hazardous waste at approx. 3.65 million tonnes (py: approx. 6.71 million tonnes) accounts for the largest share of the ÖBB Group’s total waste volume (hazardous waste: approx. 0.05 million tonnes; py: approx. 0.03 million tonnes) Approx. 97% of non-hazardous waste volumes are attributable to waste from construction activities, which fell by 46% compared to the previous year and currently stands at approx. 3.55 million tonnes (py: approx. 6.59 million tonnes). The sharp fall in the amount of landfilled material is due to natural fluctuations in the project activity of major construction activities in the infrastructure sector (tunnelling projects). As in the previous year, approx. 53% (py: 53%) of construction waste was sent for disposal and approx. 99% (py: 99%) was sent to external landfills. Approx. 99% of this relates to excavated material produced in the course of rail infrastructure construction activities. The amount of hazardous waste in the ÖBB Group recorded a considerable increase compared to the previous year in 2023, more oil-contaminated excavated material and mineral fibre waste with hazardous fibre properties was generated. MR84 |