ArcelorMittal Poland recycles Swedish rails for circular infrastructure

ArcelorMittal Poland is giving dismantled steel rails in Sweden a second life. Its plant in Dąbrowa Górnicza, a key supplier to Sweden since 2022, has expanded its partnership with Trafikverket, the Swedish rail infrastructure authority, to melt and recycle used rails.

The first 1 000 tonnes of dismantled rails arrived in Dąbrowa in July 2025. An additional batch of 1 500 tonnes is currently being processed.

‘Dismantled rails are cut into smaller sections in Hallstahammar, loaded onto trains and then transported to Ystad before travelling to Poland by ferry,’ explains Witold Hickiewicz, logistics project manager at ArcelorMittal Poland.

Trafikverket underlines that, with ArcelorMittal’s expertise, even heavily used rails return to service as high-quality new steel.

Sweden’s growing railway network

Sweden is among the top ten EU railway countries with around 11 000 km of track. In 2023, the country constructed its first four-track railway.

Decommissioned railways contain high-quality carbon-manganese steel, along with cast iron, copper, and other mixed metals. Rail steel is designed for durability, with 0.54%–0.82% carbon, 0.60%–1.7% manganese, and 0.18%–0.40% silicon.

Scrapping rails can yield up to 120 tonnes of steel per kilometre. The European railway sector generates roughly 2.6 million tonnes of waste annually from ballasted tracks alone, with an estimated additional 60 000 tonnes of scrap per year from end-of-life railway vehicles.

Collaboration drives circularity

Tapas Rajderkar, ArcelorMittal Europe Long Products’ chief marketing officer, says: ‘This project is a powerful example of how circularity and innovation can go hand-in-hand. By transforming used rails into new ones for the same network, we’re redefining the future of sustainable infrastructure.’

‘Reducing our environmental footprint is vital,’ adds Fredrik Svensson, Trafikverket’s business development manager. ‘Closing the loop with worn rails and supporting sustainable production methods, such as electric arc furnaces powered by renewable electricity, turns old rails into high-value raw materials for new green rails.’

Future-proof mobility

By repurposing rails across borders, ArcelorMittal and its partners optimise supply chain efficiency while advancing circular economy principles.

Marek Bednarek, ArcelorMittal Europe Long Products’ sales manager, notes: ‘Creating a circular system for rail production and reuse allows us to deliver more than steel – we deliver long-term value and trust.’

As rail travel grows in popularity over road and air transport, initiatives such as this ensure durable, environmentally responsible rails meet rising demand and ‘shape the future of mobility’.