Deutsche Bahn invests heavily in the renovation and construction of its infrastructure. This generates large amounts of excavation material, including clay, sand, gravel, and natural stone—for example, during tunnel construction. To ensure sustainable reuse of these raw materials, DB relies on “Erdpool”. 

From the construction site back into the cycle 

Erdpool is DB’s central contact for sustainable use of mineral resources and helps return excavation material to the economic cycle. Even before a construction project starts, the excavated material can be offered for sale. This allows the raw materials to be used elsewhere—for example, clay in the brick industry. Since the material is delivered almost directly from the ground to the plant, the extraction of valuable mineral resources is reduced, as is the associated land use. 

For the construction of the Augsburg transshipment terminal in Gersthofen, for example, more than 50 percent of the excavated earth could be returned to the cycle in the years 2024-2025. This corresponds to a quantity of around 250,000 tons, consisting mainly of topsoil, loess loam and raw gravel. The high-quality materials were reused directly on site as well as in other DB projects and were also used in the brick industry. 

To ensure high quality, the raw materials are analyzed in a laboratory before sale, and samples are provided. This ensures that large quantities of material can be supplied consistently in high quality. To transport clay, gravel, and similar materials in an environmentally friendly way, DB can organize nationwide transport by rail from the construction site to the plant. 

But Erdpool can do even more: The service, which is provided by DB Bahnbau Gruppe GmbH, also allows large-scale projects outside the DB Group to market their minerals. Additionally, Erdpool supports the transfer of materials from one project to another. 

Expert advice for better resource protection 

Material requirements and raw materials from different projects can be documented in a central database. This makes it easier to connect partners. Erdpool also advises on logistics, tendering, and awarding, as well as managing material flows on construction sites. 

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