Consistent with our 
Environmental Sustainability Policy, Queensland Rail is progressively investigating and implementing environmental sustainability initiatives. Our aim is to make significant changes to our environmental footprint through strategies to conserve energy, reduce waste and minimise water use.
Environmental Sustainability Initiatives:
Energy Management
Energy Conservation
Queensland Rail has implemented a number of different initiatives to reduce our energy consumption. These include:
- Changing to LED lighting at Windsor and Wynnum station. This has decreased energy consumption by 33%
- Installing dimmable motion controlled safety/security lighting on some station platforms and carparks. This technology is estimated to provide energy savings upwards of 50-60% over previous traditional methods of installations. Queensland Rail is the first transport authority in Australia to utilise this technology on its external platforms
- Installing solar power panels to supplement energy supplier. This has occurred as part of new station developments at Varsity Lakes and Richlands, and significant upgrades such as Indooroopilly Station.
These energy conservation initiatives are currently being trialled. This will enable Queensland Rail to acquire further information and determine which initiatives to implement more widely.
Energy Efficiency
- Building refurbishments during 2009/2010 at Queensland Rail CBD administration buildings included installation of energy-efficient hand-dryers, lighting motion detectors, window treatments, energy efficient lighting and centralised printers. These initiatives and more have resulted in an approx 20% reduction in energy consumption.
- A number of energy efficient initiatives are being investigated for potential inclusion into the design and utilisation of our rollingstock - this includes regenerative braking on our city network trains, trialling of LED lighting in carriages, and on-going driver training
GreenPower
GreenPower is a government accreditation program for renewable energy. Electricity is generated from clean, renewable sources such as wind, hydro, solar or biomass, which produce no net greenhouse gas emissions. Queensland Rail is working to reduce its impact on the environment by using 100% GreenPower at a number of City network stations.
Waste Management
Public Place Recycling Program
Queensland Rail is a member of the Queensland Government's Public Place Recycling (PPR) Program, with the support of the Department of Environment Resource Management (DERM) and the Packaging Stewardship Forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council - This program was launched in March 2010 at Central, Roma St and Fortitude Valley Stations. Since this date, PPR has rolled out to a total of 32 stations
- Between April 2010 and January 2011, this program has diverted 74 tonnes of waste from landfill with much more expected during 2011
- The waste enclosures are manufactured by HELP Enterprises - a local community-based, not for profit organisation, which employs people with disabilities
- The enclosures are constructed from steel and E-wood, a fully recycled product made from used printer cartridges. Queensland Rail’s initial order of 200 bin enclosures contains a total amount of 11,440 kg of recycled material that has been diverted from landfill
See our 
Public Place Recycling video summarising the benefits of recycling.
Mobile Phone Recycling
- Queensland Rail is actively supporting the “Answer the Call” Mobile Phone Recycling Program, an initiative of Australia Zoo and Flora & Fauna International, in partnership with Aussie Recycling Program (ARP).
- The program is aimed at collecting mobile phones for reuse and recycling with proceeds assisting with protection of Gorillas and their habitat in Central Africa.
- Queensland Rail staff can recycle their unwanted phones at designated collection spots. Our City Network and Travel Train stations are also making available postage paid mobile phone recycling satchels to our customers to enable them to recycle their unwanted phones.
- For further information on the “Answer the Call” Program please visit their website.
Water Management
Bridge Cleaning
Queensland Rail has trialled and implemented new technology and processes during rail bridge cleaning, whereby washdown water is captured and taken off site for treatment and reuse.
Water Minimisation
Queensland Rail is committed to minimising its water usage. There have been a number of changes within Queensland Rail which have resulted in large reductions in water consumption:
- Installation of rainwater tanks at suitable stations and depots to supplement water used in on-site amenities and landscaping
- Upgrade of station water facilities and fixtures to meet current water efficient guidelines
- An ongoing water reduction campaign ‘Not Just a Drop in the Ocean’ which raises awareness amongst staff about the importance of using water efficiently, and the restrictions in-force.
- Refurbishment of Brisbane CBD administration buildings with water efficient fixtures and fittings with permanent reductions in water usage of 25%.
- Operation of large water consuming sites in accordance with approved Water Efficiency Management Plans as per Queensland Water Commissions requirements
- Operation of noise mitigation