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Our rail network maintenance and development operations are aimed at ensuring rational use of natural resources and minimising the negative impact of activities on the environment in all its features (landscape, urban, hydrogeological, etc.).

Through a nationwide presence, involving both our staff and our suppliers, we are able to maintain constant dialogue and collaboration with the main stakeholders in environmental matters (government and local authorities), to encourage dialogue with associations and bodies representing passengers and the community, and to promote coordination with other FS Group companies.

The areas of potential impact on the environment vary according to the type of work carried out, i.e. whether they involve the construction of new railway infrastructure or the maintenance and operation of existing infrastructure. All activities are carried out in such a way as to prevent negative impacts; if prevention is not feasible, we put in place the most appropriate mitigation measures.

In order to identify technical and managerial solutions aimed at making our infrastructure environmentally sustainable, we have started collaborating with research bodies, with national and foreign organisations, as well as with other European Infrastructure Managers. The aim of this is to develop product and process innovations that, by guaranteeing the highest standards of quality and safety, help reduce the impact on the environment through an efficient use of natural resources.

MITIGATE AND REGENERATE

We conduct our industrial operations with a constant focus on the efficient use of the various energy sources adopted.

With regard to electricity alone, we are one of the largest buyers on the Italian market (approximately 2% of national electricity consumption), to ensure the circulation of trains on the electrified network of the National Railway Infrastructure and to carry out the typical activities of an Infrastructure Operator.

We are very proactive in terms of developing and implementing process and product innovations that, while guaranteeing the highest standards of safety and quality, ensure the constant improvement of the energy efficiency of rail network maintenance and development operations.

For this purpose, we have started a virtuous process aimed at increasing the renewable energy sources (RES) in our energy mix, both by purchasing part of our electricity from RES and by promoting technologies that exploit natural energy sources.

Accountability

The proper management of water resources is an important part of the natural resources we use. From the end of the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century, we developed an internal waterworks network required to ensure the supply of large quantities of water for steam traction-related uses, drinking water for passengers and for the hygiene needs of personnel. With the evolution of the network's operating model, which has seen the gradual decommissioning of steam trains, it became necessary to introduce a process aimed at optimising water consumption, by launching efficiency and consumption monitoring programmes that have also led to the development of plans for the decommissioning and disposal of water bodies no longer functional to railway operations.

We are constantly striving to promote the responsible and efficient use of water resources.

With a view to the circular economy, we have also launched experimental projects to recover and reuse the water used in the washing stalls of two workshops for washing vehicles.

Accountability

The maintenance of the railway infrastructure and the construction of new works require the use of considerable quantities of construction materials and the production of demolition material, which in our case consists mainly of excavated soil and rocks and removed railway ballast. In order to ensure the proper management of the natural resources used, we have developed a comprehensive materials management system that, from the design to the execution phase, also provides for reuse wherever possible and in compliance with safety standards.

The most commonly used materials include excavated earth and rocks for network development activities and, for maintenance activities, mainly ballast for railway ballast and steel for track and rail technology systems.

In order to enable the proper management of materials, we have developed a recycling system to reduce, upstream, the supply of materials and, downstream, the production of waste. Only if the material used does not have the necessary characteristics to be managed as an asset or by-product is it managed as waste.

In order to contain and reduce the environmental impact of our activities, we have initiated a number of projects with a view to the circular economy.

Accountability

The framework law on noise no. 447/95 requires companies and bodies that manage public transport services or related infrastructure to implement noise containment and reduction plans if the limits are exceeded, according to the directives issued by the Minister of the Environment Ministerial Decree of 29/11/2000.

As Manager of the national railway infrastructure, we carry out a specific "noise abatement plan" based on the criteria established by the Environment Ministerial Decree of 29/11/2000 on existing infrastructure only, to contain noise if the limit values established for railway infrastructure by Presidential Decree 459/98 are exceeded.

For all new infrastructure, as well as for doubling or upgrading existing infrastructure the measures to contain the noise resulting from the passage of trains in operation are carried out at the same time as the other works on the basis of the projects approved and defined also in relation to the acoustic zoning of the area crossed. These containment measures, on receptors, on the propagation path and at the source, are also adopted during the infrastructure construction phase. On the other hand, the acoustic mitigation measures connected with the construction/enhancement of infrastructural works, for which Italferr plays the role of technical body/high supervision/work direction, are implemented by the contractors/general contractors.