Creative Composites Group (CCG), a domestic manufacturer of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, has announced that its StormStrong utility pole offering has achieved a cradle-to-gate Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) from BRE Global, a third-party, international system that compares and verifies information about the lifecycle environmental impact of products and services.
Parameters of the EPD include primary energy use as well as resource use, including materials, fuels and water. StormStrong composite utility poles are lightweight, designed for grid hardening and are engineered for the current and future sustainability requirements of the utility industry, containing no chemicals or additives that can harm humans or the environment.
As many hazardous chemicals needed to preserve wood utility poles are being banned, composites offer a solution that does not leach chemicals and that extends the sustainability of the product. Additionally, pole-quality wood shortages continue to be a factor and prohibit the ability to build out the grid. And, with steel poles, the associated weight contributes to added transportation needs, in turn adding to emissions.
“Through the work required to achieve this EPD, we found that our product reduces the global warming potential by 30 to 40% over galvanized steel poles,” said Kelsy Valko, chemical engineer, Creative Composites Group. “With our primary environmental impact really being related to the manufacturing process, we feel these findings truly support the claim that we’re making a positive environmental impact with a lighter weight, non-chemical leaching solution.”
