Northern Rail launches uniform recycling scheme

Northern Rail launches uniform recycling scheme

Following a redesign of its uniform, Northern Rail has donated more than 3,000 items of clothing to Salvation Army Trading Company Limited (SATCoL). Weighing in at over 629 kilos, the branded items were collected from staff working across Northern’s network from drivers, conductors and ticket office staff.

SATCoL will export the clothing where it will be reused or recycled. Profit from the sale of donations is gift-aided to The Salvation Army to help fund its work throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, including homelessness, elderly care, help at emergency incidents and much more.

Dr Karen Booth, Head of Sustainability for Northern, comments: “We are working hard to become the UK’s most carbon efficient rail operator, and its projects such as these that will help us achieve that. Our staff have really embraced the campaign and made sure their old uniform is disposed of in a controlled and environmentally-friendly way.”

The campaign saw the Northern Sustainability team travel around the north of England, collecting bags of clothing from a number of its different depots and stations, before bringing it all together at Harrogate station for collection by SATCoL.

Margaret Blackstone, Area Representative for Salvation Army Trading Company Clothing Collection Division, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Northern Rail on this project, and looking forward to passing these well looked after items to deserving countries abroad.”

Northern’s new uniform was introduced in September this year, and as the uniform is branded with the Northern logo, cannot simply be donated to local charity shops. The clothing collection scheme from SATCoL ensures the items are used in a variety of ways to get the most out of each item.