Metro de Madrid

ENVIRONMENT

The development of cities requires all kinds of infrastructures to cater for their growth. Naturally, in a modern society, the transport sector is a key factor.

All this growth requires environmental policies to protect the environment.

And it is in this area that the railway, with its excellent environmental protection qualities, is one of the most favourable transport means both in the present and for the future. Choosing the Metro for your daily travels is synonymous with quality of life.

Furthermore, this means of transport does not only provide advantages at a personal level, they also extend to the environment.

One in every four people who move around in Madrid use the Metro.

The carbon dioxide emissions into Madrid's atmosphere from road travel represent 39% of the total, compared with 0.7% caused by travel on the Metro de Madrid network. If the two and half million passengers who travel daily on this means of transport used their own cars, the atmosphere would receive an extra ten thousand tonnes of CO2.

We should not forget that over 95% of Metro de Madrid network runs underground, without occupying large areas on the surface, thus enabling the cities to grow and favouring the establishment of the green zones that are so highly valued in Madrid.

As we extend inside, Madrid grows outside.

Although 95% of the network is located underground, station maintenance also affects the environment. To minimise this impact, important projects have been carried out, for example:

The escalators have been slowed down, so that when they are not being used their energy consumption is minimal.

All the light fittings in the stations are of the latest technology, thus guaranteeing a longer useful life and less energy consumption.

The automatic switch-off system also minimises consumption.

Our trains are fitted with automatic systems that provide computerised speed control and make it possible to take advantage of the energy generated upon braking, reincorporating it in the network.

To minimise water consumption we have modified the train and station cleaning systems, achieving substantial savings.

We also concern ourselves with recycling. For this purpose we have installed special waste bins for newspapers, which can then be recycled.

Six of our eight train washing units have recycling systems installed that enable recovery of up to 80% of the water consumed.

Since 1994 the waste water treatment facilities installed in the Central Workshops and Canillejas Depot has made it possible to reduce the pollution levels of our discharges by over 75%.

We also believe in renewable energy, which is why we have implemented a pilot solar energy project to heat water for domestic use in one of our facilities. If it is successful it will be implemented in our other centres.

Train and station maintenance generates a large amount of waste, which we separate, classify and store at clean points within the facilities.

Thanks to the construction of eight centres, called Temporary Waste Centres, we manage 0.04% of the total waste generated annually in the Community of Madrid.

Metro de Madrid also believes in the principle that the best waste is no waste, and for this reason we carry out environmental campaigns to raise awareness of this among our personnel, because every little bit helps.

WE ARE ALL PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT