Circular entrepreneurship is a way to use as little new raw materials as possible and to make optimum use of your own materials. In other words, reuse and recycle old materials as much as possible. The NS will work according to this method. They hope to purchase circularly around 2030, no longer have waste in offices, workshops and trains and they hope to reuse materials as much as possible. NS, Bureau Spoorbouwmeester and ProRail want all stations in the Netherlands to be circular by 2050. 

The Dutch Railways, ProRail and Bureau Spoorbouwmeester have asked various designers to contribute ideas about the designs. During the virtual Dutch Design Week are the first designs of such stations. The Dutch Railways tries to process all the waste that is collected in trains, stations, offices and other business locations as sustainable as possible into raw material. They are also constantly looking for new solutions and ideas to reduce the amount of waste. All organic waste from shops is used as a raw material for bioenergy. When products are purchased, the composition, the possibility of reuse and whether it is really necessary to buy this product and whether there might be a better sustainable alternative is taken into account. 

Travelers are also encouraged to use less plastic or disposable cups, the Dutch Railways does this by giving travelers a discount on hot drinks when they bring their own cup and free water tap points have also been installed at stations. Trains that are outdated are refurbished and what cannot be refurbished anymore is dismantled, scrapped or the parts are sold in an environmentally friendly manner. All these (future) measures together ensure that NS makes an important contribution to a circular society.

Also read: Extra rush hour trains from the timetable due to lockdown