• Traditional ties are treated with creosote for preservation. Creosote is a known carcinogen with so many harmful effects that Congress has banned its use. The single exception is the Railroads because there has not been a viable alternative to creosote-treated wood ties.
• One mature tree only produces two to three wood ties, which means 1,300 trees are cut down to supply every mile of railroad tracks.
• These ties need replacing every 8-15 years, causing the loss of another 1,300 trees to sustain each already-existing mile of track.
• To replace existing ties in 140,000 miles of track in the U.S. it would require cutting down 173 million trees—trees that currently consume millions of tons of CO2.