Waste is an inevitable component of any business operation. We are committed to reducing waste across all aspects of its operations-whether recycling old train cars or sending used bus tires back to the manufacturer for recycling or re-purposing.

Reducing and Diverting Waste

Internal Operations. Metro is developing plans and programs that address waste generation, including encouraging reduction, reuse, and recycling of materials used for operations.

Stations. All Metrorail stations include newspaper recycling bins for riders. We are working to increase the recycling options at more Metrorail stations. In 2019, we launched and completed the first phase of the Platform Improvement Project and used the shutdown time to make improvements that enhance the customer experience. All six rehabilitated stations now have conveniently located recycling containers for riders to dispose of their recyclable waste.

Responsible Construction Management

In 2019, Metro completed several new LEED-certified buildings that included responsible waste management as part of their construction, including:

Cinder Bed Road Bus Garage. This new, state-of-the-art facility replaced a nearly 70-year-old bus garage in Virginia. It is LEEDcertified (Gold V2009) and used responsible waste management practices throughout construction.

Andrews Bus Garage. This new garage was awarded LEED Silver certification. During its construction, Metro established a construction and demolition waste management plan and exceeded its waste diversion goal by diverting 92% of construction waste from landfills. Andrews is outfitted with energy efficient building systems, LED lighting in the workshop spaces, on-site water treatment, rainwater harvesting, and built-in containment for spills of chemicals and fuels.