What happens to decommissioned electricity poles?

Why are decommisioned electricity poles dangerous?

"Old electricity poles installed before the early 2000s contain two types of impregnating agents: copper-chromium-arsenic compounds (CCAs) and, to a lesser extent, creosote. The impregnation prevents the pole from decaying, but if handled incorrectly, it can pose a danger to the safety of people, animals and the environment. Both CCA and creosote are harmful substances that can even cause cancer. Old poles do not pose a danger in the terrain, but they must not come into close contact with people, animals or food," says Caruna's Sustainability Manager Piia Häkkinen. 

The use of CCA impregnation has already been banned in the EU, and Caruna has also discontinued the use of creosote in electricity poles. For more than 15 years, Caruna has been using safer copper-salt-impregnated C-poles with slightly weaker rot protection properties, similar products of which are also sold for domestic use.

What happens to dismantled electricity poles?

The poles to be dismantled from the terrain are almost invariably old CCA or creosote-impregnated poles. 

"We dismantle a considerable number of old electricity poles every year: in 2022, more than 1,300 kilometers of overhead line network was decommissioned, and with it more than 2,600 tonnes of impregnated wooden poles," says Piia. 

Most of the poles end up as hazardous waste at the treatment plant, where the poles are utilized in energy production. The transport of waste poles from demolition sites to the waste treatment plant is monitored with the help of electronic transfer documents. 

There are also shared poles, in which case in addition to the electricity network, there is a street light network or lines of telecommunications companies on the same pole. In this case, when the electricity network is dismantled, the pole may remain in use by another user party, in which case control of the pole will also be transferred to another party. 

A written agreement is always made on the transfer of a pole, and the new owner undertakes to ensure that the pole is disposed of as hazardous waste when it reaches the end of its life cycle.

How have poles ended up in private use?

Old electricity poles are surprisingly sought-after goods, as they are highly resistant to rot – better than new poles treated with gentler methods. However, rot retardants that were in use more than 15 years ago are heavy stuff and pose a danger when they come into contact with human skin or food. For this reason, the poles will not be handed over for private use, and under no circumstances should they be built, for example, into a garden bench or playhouse. 

"Private individuals are often unaware of the dangers of poles or the legislation that applies to them. Requests for poles are made from time to time, and poles may also be taken from demolition sites without permission. In the old days, the use of poles was not as restricted as it is today. Even today, poles are still occasionally found in improper use, for example as benches in school yards, where they should not be under any circumstances," Piia continues.

Investing in project follow-up

Caruna ensures that the poles removed from the electricity network are delivered appropriately for disposal or reuse. Contractors have been instructed to monitor that the poles are picked up from the terrain as agreed. 

The follow-up of projects has also been improved: as part of the follow-up monitoring, the terrain after the dismantled electricity network is reviewed and the handling of demolition materials is reviewed. Caruna also monitors the handling of demolition materials through spot checks.

Did you come across an ambiguous pile of poles in the terrain?

Contact us and we will find out why the poles are in the terrain and ensure that they are handled appropriately. 

Not all poles found in the terrain are electricity poles: impregnated poles are also discharged from telecommunications and streetlight networks, for example. Also, not all columns contain harmful chemicals, only a professional will be able to deduce the impregnation by the appearance.

The text has been translated into English with the help of artificial intelligence.