Officially, the circular economy is a system that sustainably repurposes resources to maximize their economic benefit and reduce waste. Unofficially, it’s a win/win situation. TiEnergy has pioneered methods, technology, and products that keep its customers at the center of the circular economy so all stakeholders benefit.
How it Works
In a non-circular economy, railroad ties reach their end of life as soon as they are retired from rail use. They often pile up, creating environment and safety hazards for railyards and taking up economically valuable space that could be better utilized for other purposes.
In a circular economy, these railroad ties get a new life. Through patented technology, TiEnergy removes hardware from the ties and then grinds them into usable material. The ground ties can be used as a fuel source or turned into TIEROC, an aggregate substitute that landfills can use as roadways. TiEnergy applies the same circular methods to other industrial and out-of-service wood products, including utility poles, crane mats, and pallets.
How it Helps
TiEnergy’s customers reap financial, operational, and brand benefits. Freight carrier customers, including Class I, Class II, and Short Line railroads, are able to literally turn discarded material into a new value-added product by partnering with TiEnergy to remove and recycle old ties. Rather than dealing with the burden of retired tie storage or removal, they can offer the ties for upcycling. These customers
can reclaim usable space previously taken up by the retired ties and are better able to meet brand and sustainability goals with a measurable 3.06 pounds of carbon saved per tie.
The landfills benefit from fewer operational delays and more efficient roads, which can simply be sustainably buried as part of the landfill when no longer needed. TIEROC is easier on the delivery vehicles than aggregate, minimizing wear and tear from daily use. TIEROC is also easier to transport in trailers than the heavy, gravel-laden aggregate, costing less fuel and utilizing less trailer space.
Where it’s Headed
The circular economy is on the rise. Finding ways to repurpose and reuse existing resources creates new economic opportunities, which in turn can foster new job growth and allow companies to be more resilient.
The circular economy also supports the efficiency of free markets. By upcycling previously unusable materials, TiEnergy created a new market that didn’t exist before. In turn, its customers suddenly had a valuable resource to supply to meet a new form of demand. Now, railroads and other customers are at the forefront of the circular economy and a sustainable, prosperous future. To learn more about working with TiEnergy, contact us.
