A RAILWAY operator has reached a 90 per cent recycle rate.

A recycling facility which segregates, washes, compacts, bales, weighs and electronically tags all waste from Brighton Station has processed more than 190 tonnes in the past six months.

Since the installation of the Mobile Segregation Unit (MSU) in September last year, the facility has prevented more than 160 tonnes of waste going to incineration.

If continued at that rate, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which runs Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern rail services, expects more than 320 tonnes to be recycled in Brighton Station throughout this year.

Prior to the installation of the recycling facility, GTR had a recycling rate of 30 per cent.

Staff at the facility, installed by waste management start-up The Green Block, deal with all waste from Brighton Station, as well as from all Southern and Thameslink trains running to and from the city.

GTR infrastructure director Keith Jipps said: “We’ve made a commitment to the UK’s green recovery which means seeking out innovative solutions to deal with waste.

“Prior to the pandemic, around 12 per cent of the total waste collected across GTR’s 800-mile network came into Brighton.

“As lockdowns and restrictions have seen fewer people travelling, this has reduced to five per cent but is steadily on the rise as the country adapts to new ways of working. With this scheme we’re achieving zero to landfill, with any waste that cannot be recycled turned into energy.”

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “It's brilliant to see the impact the new Mobile Segregation Unit at Brighton station has already made with 90 per cent of 190 tonnes of waste being recycled or composted. This is a great example of how small changes can make a huge difference - and quickly.

"I'm proud that so many businesses in Brighton are stepping up and making their systems and practices more sustainable, despite incredibly challenging circumstances, and I wholeheartedly support GTR's aim of delivering the highest recycling rate of any station on the rail network.”