OREANDA-NEWS. May 28, 2013. A delegation from Russian Railways took part in the VI Nevsky International Congress "Environmental Awareness as a Tool for Environmental Solutions", which was held in St. Petersburg.

Throughout the world, rail transport is now recognised as one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport. Last year, Russian environmentalists declared Russian Railways as the leader in environmental protection in Russia, as well as the winner of the National Environmental Prize, underlining the Company's contribution to the environment.

In his address to the Congress, Valentin Gapanovich, Senior Vice-President at Russian Railways, said that the Company had developed and approved a Programme for Improving Environmental Responsibility.

The basis of the Company's environmental policy is the desire to minimise damage to the environment while meeting the demand for transportation of both freight and passengers.

The Company's stand at the Congress attracted considerable interest from the nearly 2,000 visitors, who came from 26 countries. On display at the exhibition was a locomotive which runs on liquefied natural gas and whose harmful emissions are five times less than the maximum permitted amount. This technology is already undergoing tests on Russia's railways.

Russian Railways also displayed a mobile environmental laboratory mounted on a car. This eco-lab is equipped with modern portable measurement technology, which is designed to perform all the basic tests for pollution of the atmosphere, water and soil.

Environmental protection centres throughout the Russian Railways' network are gradually taking delivery of similar mobile laboratories.