How To Dispose Of Railroad Ties

June 09, 2023 Post a Comment

How to dispose of railroad ties

Railroad ties may be placed out for curbside bulk collection, however, they are not elligible to be disposed of at the bulky waste sites. A maximum of 3 railroad ties (with a approximate size of 7”x 9”x 8') may be placed out for bulky collection.

How do you dispose of railroad ties in Illinois?

Can I dispose of Creosote railroad ties at your landfills? Yes, all landfills accept railroad ties.

How do you dispose of railroad ties in PA?

Railroad ties cannot be processed at the York County Resource Recovery Center (YCRRC) so they should not be disposed of in your regular trash or brought to the YCRRC. Railroad ties must be disposed of at Modern Landfill (717-246-2686).

Can you cut railroad ties?

Railroad ties are tough and hard to cut, so they may require you to change your blade out or sharpen it during the process. Cutting the tie could take a couple of minutes, so take care to work slowly and carefully.

What do you do with rotted railroad ties?

Many of the used ties, which on average are 30 years old, are burned to produce heat and electricity, and the remainder are recycled as landscaping timbers or disposed of in landfills, according to Nicole Labbé, Pyoungchung Kim, and their colleagues at the University of Tennessee's Center for Renewable Carbon.

What can you do with railroad ties?

Increasingly, railroad ties are being used in combination with brick, sand, concrete, large rocks or gravel to create modern landscaping designs that have both a traditional and contemporary feel. Ties can be cut into any length to serve as in-ground steps, bed borders, mailbox posts or for other uses.

What chemicals are in railroad ties?

Creosote is derived from the distillation of tar from wood or coal and is used as a wood preservative. Pesticide products containing creosote as the active ingredient are used to protect wood used outdoors (such as railroad ties and utility poles) against termites, fungi, mites and other pests.

How long does creosote last in railroad ties?

Complete decomposition is assumed to occur over approximately 40 to over 100 years. In areas where access is practical, some ties may be reclaimed by residents for landscape or fence uses, but the ties would still decay in about the same time.

Are all railroad ties treated with creosote?

As documented in the recent report (1) for the Association of American Railroads (AAR), approximately 95% of all new railroad ties are preserved wood, as opposed to non-wood products of concrete, steel, or plastic. Of the wooden ties purchased, 98% are either creosote or creosote-borate treated.

How can you tell if wood is creosote?

Signs of Creosote Build-Up

Reduced drafting in fireplace.
Less ash and more wood in fireplace after a fire.
Black soot in and around fireplace.
Very dark smoke from chimney.
You can visibly see more than 1/8 of an inch of soot build-up.

How much do railroad ties weigh?

A: Hello Meyer. Used Railroad Ties weigh approximately 160-200 pounds each.

What kind of wood are railroad ties?

Though oak is the most common lumber choice for wooden crosstie production, the American Railway Engineering Association states that 27 other varieties of wood are also used. such as chestnut, elm, and walnut.

Should I remove railroad ties?

For this reason, it is unwise to use railroad ties in vegetable gardens where contact is inevitable. Additionally, as the wood slowly breaks down, it will release this toxic brew into your soil, contaminating it and your food. The best idea if you already have the wood in your landscape is to remove it.

Do railroad ties have metal in them?

Railroad ties are traditionally made of wood, but prestressed concrete is now also widely used, especially in Europe and Asia. Steel ties are common on secondary lines in the UK; plastic composite ties are also employed, although far less than wood or concrete.

Can railroad ties be used for raised garden beds?

One of the most popular options for landscaping with railroad ties is to use them for building simple raised garden beds.

Is burning railroad ties toxic?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers creosote (a coal-tar product used to protect wood from insects and rotting) a possible cancer-causing agent and warns the public not to burn it in fireplaces at home due to risk of releasing “toxic chemicals.”

Why do railroad ties not rot?

Railroad ties are treated with an oil-based preservative (creosote). As opposed to water, which evaporates, oil doesn't dry.

Are railroad ties safe for landscaping?

Every EPA site said the same thing about the main preservative in old railroad ties: "Creosote is a possible human carcinogen and has no registered residential use." So it's actually illegal to use old railroad ties in a home landscape.

Why are railroad ties so heavy?

They use pre-stressed concrete filled with steel rods to form stable and durable ties. Since it uses concrete and steel, you can bet that these types of ties are going to be some of the heaviest on the market. The average weight of a concrete railroad tie is around 800 pounds.

Are railroad ties good for retaining walls?

Using railroad ties for retaining walls is a cost-effective way to protect a sloped yard. The ties can be bought from any local lumber yard and cut to various lengths.