New Life For Old Poles

Retired or broken power poles are getting special treatment as part of a new Ameren Illinois utility pole recycling program. In 2022, the initiative's first year, the company diverted nearly 750 tons of wood waste from being discarded into local landfills in a huge initiative to recycle broken or decommissioned power poles and wooden pallets.

 

“We want to do the right thing for the environment by keeping our decommissioned power poles out of landfills," says Kyle Maxwell, superintendent of electric operations.” Power poles are retired after being broken by a storm or vehicle accident. They can also be upgraded for storm-hardening the electric grid at the end of their lifespan. Sometimes a business leaves the community, and the poles and equipment need to be removed.

 

Blackwood Solutions, a recycling company that specializes in repurposing or recycling old or broken power poles for fencing, landscaping or building materials can supply decommissioned poles to use for parking lot borders and fences. Maxwell says that prior to recycling initiative, Ameren Illinois placed its wood waste into dumpsters, which was hauled away and consumed a sizeable footprint in the landfill. A typical 40-foot pole weighs approximately 1,000 pounds. The average lifespan of a utility pole is 40 years, Ameren Illinois is extending its agreement with Blackwood Solutions in 2023 to include recycling wooden pallets.