Toxic Utility Poles!

Photography, article and compilations by Jahrun Chilam Balam 2010.04.09

As if you did not have enough on your mind already....

This serious message of my own personal account, research and direct sensory experience concerns you and your neighborhood, your well water, your children, your pets... the air you breathe, soil and its hosted organisms, the aquifer, streams, rivers and lakes and the whole environment everywhere. The concern is about the new utility poles being installed just out your front door, by the lawn, or just down the street, or in the park, along the road by the wetlands preserve, at school and down town.

From a report issued by the National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides:

"Under, around, in and on every preservative-treated utility pole is a toxic site that poses a real threat to clean air, water and land."

"Utility poles account for about 13 percent of the market for wood preservatives used to kill fungus and insects and retard decay. The chemicals, which include pentachlorophenol, creosote, arsenic and chromium, are some of the most hazardous toxic contaminants on the market.''

But most recently, wooden utility poles are no longer treated with the relatively benign creosote, but rather deadly toxic chemicals. Over the last ten years these poles have been treated with increasingly dangerous pesticides and wood preservatives, particularly Pentachlorophenol (PCP) commonly called "penta" in the field.

Bottom line? Pentachlorophenol is evil:

• Washington Toxics Coalition - Penta (pdf)
• Steven Malamud - HB Fuller - A double standard (pdf)
• PCP is Toxic When Inhaled
• Exercise your own powerful freedom to search the Internet ...

"The use of PCP has become a global problem within the last two decades. Despite its known lethal effects on the environment, its global consumption is still high. This proves that until environmental well-being becomes a priority over economic gains, this worldwide dilemma will continue."

Check-out the two utility poles in this image. The one on the left is the old familiar creosote pole, and seemingly looks to be just fine with no sign of rot what so ever. Creosote may even smell good to some people, as they remember romantic encounters on the boardwalk or pier. Looking at the new pole on the right you'll see that it has a greenish hue. Not all of the new poles are so green looking! Believe it or not, the newest poles are disguised to be more brown, but you can spot them as easily as you can red-dyed bark mulch. No matter what their color, these new poles wreak of sickeningly toxic chemicals. That's because they are utterly saturated with toxic chemicals.

Now, when you are able to smell something in the air, that means that the molecules of the the thing you are smelling are airborne, and are whizzing into your nose and lungs as you smell them. One whiff of the chemicals from these new toxic utility poles will immediately make you feel sour in the stomach. Imagine one of these installed by your home on a hot summer day when you want to open your windows to invite cooling breezes through the house?

"PCP is toxic when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin. The EPA found that short term exposure resulted in central nervous system damage (EPA, Consumer Factsheet, 1998). In the long term, reproductive effects, liver and kidney damage, and cancer resulted (EPA, Consumer Factsheet, 1998)."

Imagine having your home and vicinity bathed in a sickly bouquet of Pentachlorophenol every day of the year. Folks, I gotta tell you, these new poles will not lose their smell or toxicity in your lifetime. I know f some near Lancaster, PA that still wreak like new after several years. Just think about how much chemical is leaching off those poles. Look around at how many utility poles you see. I'll bet you never even stopped to consider just how many utility poles there are in an area. Now begin imagining replacement of every pole you see with a toxic PCP pole in the very near future.

Penta and heavy-metal chemicals find their way with rain water into the soil, your nearby garden and down into your well water supply. Your dog or cat happens to rub up against the pole for a little scratch and then sits on your lap for a few affectionate strokes. You get up to make dinner. Meanwhile, the children are outside playing. They unwittingly use the utility pole as base for a game of tag. Just before heading home, tired from the day, your mate leans up against a utility pole while having a chat with a co-worker that is dragging-on by the curbside. Just think about this for a moment...

Pay attention. You may see brand new poles laying by the side of the road. Slow down, open your window, back-up and take a whiff. Observe the existing poles standing tall nearby. Do they really look like poles that need replacement? Probably not. The old creosote poles being replaced are often in perfect condition and able to last decades more. But this is a money-making racket whereby chemical companies are profiting at the taxpayers health and financial expense.

Call your township, utility company, your mayor and complain! They might brush you off, but make a point of filing your complaint anyway. Inquire with your neighbors. Get them to call.

Other people are complaining: 2009 Toxic Tort Litigation Blog (Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.)

This is serious folks and it affects you right where you live. It is another blatant sign of what new levels of toxicity burden are being placed on you!

Sat nam.

~ Namaste.