LTG Signs €900,000 Deal to Dispose of Hazardous Railway Sleepers in Lithuania

Lithuania’s LTG Group is stepping up efforts to remove hazardous railway materials, signing new contracts to dispose of thousands of tonnes of old wooden sleepers.

Lithuanian rail infrastructure manager LTG Infra, part of the LTG Group, has signed contracts worth €900,000 to manage and dispose of hazardous wooden railway sleepers, as part of the shift towards more sustainable infrastructure management. The three-year agreements cover the treatment of up to 5,000 tonnes of old sleepers that were previously used across the network but are now considered environmentally harmful.

Moving Beyond Legacy Materials

Wooden railway sleepers are no longer used in LTG’s infrastructure. The company has been gradually replacing older, creosote-treated sleepers with more modern and environmentally safer alternatives. The newly signed contracts focus on dealing with legacy materials: sleepers that were installed in previous decades and have since reached the end of their lifecycle.

According to LTG, this approach shows the shift in how rail infrastructure is managed, with increasing attention paid not only to operation and maintenance, but also to the full lifecycle of materials, including safe disposal. LTG Infra CEO Vytis Žalimas said decisions within the group are "expected to deliver long-term value and must take sustainability into account from installation through to disposal." He added that responsible waste management is now an integral part of the company’s strategy.

Hazardous Waste Requires Strict Handling

The sleepers being removed were treated with creosote, a chemical mixture containing hundreds of compounds, including substances classified as carcinogenic. Because of this, used wooden sleepers are considered hazardous waste and must be handled under strict environmental regulations. LTG said the contracts will ensure that disposal is carried out professionally, reducing risks to both the environment and public health. The agreements have been signed with two companies (Žalvaris and Sanresa) which will carry out the collection and treatment process over the next three years.

Volumes Increasing Across the Network

The volume of wooden sleepers being processed has been rising steadily in recent years. According to LTG data, in 2024, they handled 1,925 tonnes, and increased the number to 2,880 tonnes in 2025. Around 120 tonnes had already been processed in early 2026.

The new contracts are expected to help manage growing volumes more efficiently, reduce storage needs and ensure a more consistent disposal process.

Testing More Sustainable Alternatives

Alongside the removal of older materials, LTG is also testing alternatives to traditional sleepers. The company recently carried out a pilot project using composite railway sleepers, marking their first use in Lithuania’s rail infrastructure.

These sleepers, manufactured in Germany, are currently being installed in locations such as bridges, where heavier concrete solutions are not suitable. Composite sleepers are lighter, more durable and better at absorbing vibrations. They are also made from recycled materials and are designed to withstand temperature fluctuations, making them a more sustainable option compared with traditional wooden sleepers.