Hull Paragon station is ready for World Recycling Day as TransPennine Express and local artist Andy Pea unveil a sculpture made entirely of recycled materials.
The temporary artwork will be on display at Hull Paragon station for just one day, although more than 50 hours of work went into creating it.
The sculpture which contains over a tonne of water bottles, tumblers, cardboard, newspapers and plastic waste collected from TransPennine Express (TPE) trains and the station itself.
Hull-based artist Andy Pea was commissioned by TPE to create the sculpture which features an impressionist-inspired view of one of their trains on Global Recycling Day on Friday March 18, 2022. The sculpture intended to demonstrate the train operators’ goals of becoming greener and further reducing its carbon footprint.
Pupils from the local primary school in Adelaide also played a role in the sculpture by collecting recyclables and also drawing with their own ideas for the sculpture which Andy used as inspiration when creating the final piece.
Fran Barrett, Trade Assurance Manager at TransPennine Express, said:
“We are committed to protecting the environment for future generations, and we wanted to commission this temporary sculpture to highlight that commitment ahead of World Recycling Day. Recycling our waste is a key part of our sustainability strategy and in 2021 , we collected and recycled 221 tonnes of recyclable waste.
“In recent years, we have increased our recycling rates from 36% to 64% and we aim to further increase our recycling this year. Any waste that we cannot recycle is sent to Energy From Waste to generate electricity, as we continue to send zero waste to landfill.
“With Global Recycling Day approaching, we wanted to show our continued dedication to recycling and work with Andy to create something special to mark the day. We are thrilled with the outcome!
Andy Pea has been an artist for over 25 years and has created artwork in the UK, Europe and Mexico, said:
“I am delighted to be able to work with TPE on this project, and it was fantastic to see so many admirers of the work at the station today, including the Adelaide Primary School children, who made a fantastic job giving me the inspiration to create the sculpture.
TPE is making progress in its green shift and is expected to reduce its carbon emissions by 30% per vehicle-kilometre from April 2023. The rail operator’s new Nova train fleet includes dual-mode and electric trains and will bring passengers emissions of 77% CO2. % compared to journeys made with an average car.
Hull Trains and Northern also operate services from Hull Paragon station and joined TPE in the unveiling of the sculpture demonstrating their own commitment to sustainability and seeking positive changes to operate that support the environment.
Global Recycling Day has been around since 2018 and its goal is to help recognize and celebrate the importance of recycling in preserving primary resources and securing the future of the planet.
To find out more about TPE’s sustainable development approach, visit:
http://tpexpress.co.uk