Ahead of the marcus evans Transmission & Distribution Summit 2020, Ken Laughlin discusses how utilities can replace penta in the pressure treatment of utility poles after penta manufacturing ends in 2021

1. Interview with: Ken Laughlin,
Divisional Vice President of Wood
Preservation, Nisus Corporation
“With pentachlorophenol (penta)
manufacturing ending in 2021, utilities
are now looking for a replacement
preservative for poles. Although a
number of preservatives are available in
the marketplace, most of them do not
fit all the requirements and criteria of
utilities,” according to Ken Laughlin,
Divisional Vice President of Wood
Preservation, Nisus Corporation.
Nisus Corporation is a service provider
at the marcus evans Transmission &
Distribution Summit 2020.
What is happening with penta and
how will it impact the utilities?
Pentachlorophenol is used in the
pressure treatment of utility poles,
primarily in the western US because it is
an oil-borne preservative which is
needed for hard refractory species like
Douglas fir that are difficult to treat.
Unfortunately, it also contains dioxins
which are a Persistent Organic Pollutant
(POP) that has been problematic for
some utilities that must monitor nearby
water supplies for decades to come.
Now the supply of penta is in jeopardy.
Penta was produced at a plant in Mexico
that is being forced to close after Mexico
signed on to the Stockholm Convention.
The 152 signatory countries have
pledged not to manufacture chemicals
that are or contain POPs. Attempts to
build a penta plant in the US have met
strong resistance from the communities
where they planned to locate, and the
plans have been dropped.
With penta manufacturing ending in
2021, utilities are now looking for a
replacement preservative.
What preservatives will be available
for utility pole treatment in the
future?
There are six preservatives available for
use in poles: chromated copper
arsenate (CCA), creosote, copper
naphthenate (CuN, brand name QNAP),
ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate
(ACZA), dichloro octyl isothiazolinone
(DCOI) and alkaline copper quaternary
(ACQ).
CCA is the most popular preservative for
poles and works well on soft wood like
pine, but it is not as effective on
hardwoods. DCOI has label issues that
prevent it from being used at a
concentration needed to meet AWPA
standards. ACZA and ACQ are both
corrosive and require stainless steel or
similar bolts and fittings. Creosote
(which is a probable human carcinogen)
and QNAP are the remaining preserva-
tives. With railroads shifting away from
creosote, QNAP has become the fastest
growing preservative for both railroads
and utilities.
Douglas fir is a common species
used for poles in the West. Can all
available preservatives be used on
Douglas fir?
Oil-borne preservatives like penta,
creosote and QNAP are most effective at
treating hard refractory species. With
the demise of penta and a choice
between QNAP or creosote, more
utilities are choosing copper naphthen-
ate due to longer service life and the
fact that it contains no carcinogens, no
dioxins and no POP.
How does Nisus add value for
utilities?
Nisus provides a depth of knowledge to
utilities in several important areas
including access to PhD-level scientists
in the areas of wood preservation,
mycology, microbiology and entomol-
ogy. All are leading experts in their
fields who continually research and
publish in their respective fields. Much
of this research is conducted in
cooperation with major universities
around the country and the world. We
also provide expertise in the area of
treatment plants, as our VP of the Wood
Preservation Division was previously
president of a USD 60 million/year
treatment plant.
Finally, our regulatory department
works closely with federal, state and
local agencies and can help keep utilities
stay abreast of pending regulations that
may impact them.
With railroads
shifting away
from creosote,
QNAP has
become the
fastest growing
preservative for
both railroads
and utilities
How Utilities Can Replace Penta When Supply Ends

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About the Transmission & Distribution Summit 2020
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presentations on the world post pandemic, managing aging utility infrastructure,
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About Nisus Corporation
For more than 30 years, Nisus Corporation has specialized in creating high performance chemicals with environmental profiles that
are superior to those of leading competitors. From our headquarters in Rockford, TN at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains,
we manufacture products for the professional pest control, industrial wood preservation, forestry, agriculture and engineered wood
industries. Nisus also works directly with end users of our products in the utility, building, architectural, railroad, pest control and
pallet industries.
Nisus is a privately held corporation that manufactures and markets 29 products and sells across the United States and in 16
countries internationally.
www.nisuscorp.com
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