The company responds to a request for information based on decades of industry leadership
Hampshire, Illinois (May 10, 2023) – TiEnergy LLC, a family-owned railroad tie recycling and repurposing company, provided guidance to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in response to the agency’s request for information (RFI). TiEnergy has pioneered sustainable solutions to industrial wood waste, including creosote-treated railroad ties (CRTs). The company’s leadership team shared the details behind its solutions and the positive impact on the environment via public comment, thought leadership content, and direct correspondence.
“We are pleased to see the FRA’s focus on CRTs, and even more pleased to offer our 26+ years of expertise in response. We’ve created industry-leading tie repurposing solutions that solve multiple economic, environmental, and operational issues simultaneously,” says Greg Kutschke, Vice President of TiEnergy. “The CRT discussion has centered around disposal, and we’re shifting the conversation from disposal to reinvention.”
Specifically, TiEnergy has established railroads at the forefront of the circular economy by giving a second life to old ties. The company has invented and patented a Tie Plate Picker machine that efficiently extracts metal hardware from railroad tie wood. The wood can then be ground into an aggregate substitute called TIEROC – a sustainable, in-demand solution for landfill operations. Since the majority of retired ties are approximately 30 years old, very little creosote remains in the ties. When ground up and used as landfill roadways, the process saves 3.06 pounds of carbon per tie. When left whole and piled up in railyards, on the other hand, the collective creosote can create fire and safety hazards. TIEROC provides a beneficial solution to the problem of old rail ties, while minimizing any environmental impact from creosote.
The FRA’s request specified “potential uses and options for disposal or repurposing used creosote- treated railroad ties (CTRTs),” noting that more than 23 million railroad ties are replaced each year. While the comment window has closed, the FRA may develop a “best practices document for rail tie disposal.” Michael Johnson, Senior Advisor for Climate and Sustainability, Office of Environmental Program Management, was the direct contact for the RFIs. TiEnergy responded directly to Johnson, in addition to sharing information on the public site. For more information, please visit http://tienergy.mmmrecycles.com
About TiEnergy
TiEnergy, LLC is an Illinois-based, family-owned company with a primary business of sustainable railroad tie removal, recycling and repurposing. Through innovative solutions such as TIEROC, an aggregate substitute made from recycled wood ties and out-of-service wood products, and patented technology that removes railroad tie plates, TiEnergy has created a new, environmentally responsible market for post-consumer waste. The company is a subsidiary of Midwest Companies, a sustainable waste management company that collects and recycles material waste for the construction, demolition, and railroad industries. For more information, visit http://tienergy.mmmrecycles.com.
