CUC recycles 152 miles of scrap wire

CUC’s Eddie Johnson, Grounds Maintenance Foreman,
loads one of the many palettes of scrap wire,
recovered during restoration efforts, onto a
manufactured flat rack, for exporting to Tampa for
recycling. During the months following Hurricane Ivan,
CUC salvaged nearly 164000 lbs of scrap wire made up
of aluminium and copper conductor wiring from
overhead transmission and distribution lines.

Friday,  February 11, 2005

Anyone who was around in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ivan could not fail to notice the amount of cable that was brought down from electrical poles during the storm. 

And just like all the rest of the debris that was left lying around after Hurricane Ivan came to call, the wire and cable that couldn’t be re-used had to go somewhere.

Caribbean Utilities Company, (CUC) was faced with a dilemma – what do we do with it all?

However, CUC found an eco-friendly and efficient means of exporting the approximately 152 miles of transmission and distribution scrap wire, the company replaced after the storm, to Tampa for recycling. 

The 164,000 lbs of scrap wire, primarily made up of aluminium and copper conductor wiring from overhead transmission and distribution lines, were gathered from roadsides and other locations by a team of enthusiastic workers who were contracted by the Company following the storm. 

On a daily basis during September, October and November, the scrap wire was collected by this salvage crew and brought back to CUC’s North Sound Road compound where it was eventually sorted, bundled, placed on palettes and readied for shipping.

During the restoration process, shipping delays caused unavoidable setbacks with the receipt of essential restoration materials, and it became necessary for CUC to charter a vessel, the Bay Island Trader from Jackson Shipping, Tampa.

Since the vessel was a charter and would have returned to Tampa empty, the decision was made to return the vessel loaded with this scrap wire for recycling.

Two years before the hurricane and as part of the Company’s Environmental Management System, a partnership had been established with Gulf Coast Metals of Florida, a Tampa-based company, for the purchase of scrap metals from CUC for recycling.

Because of the hurricane, the regular flow of scrap metals had been interrupted but this was an ideal opportunity to resume the favoured partnership albeit under unusual circumstances. In November, the Bay Island Trader set sail for Tampa loaded with 164,000 lbs of CUC’s scrap wire. 

Ron Parchment, Manager, Materials, whose department coordinates the wire-recycling programme, commented that the task, although tricky, was accomplished through teamwork.

“The restoration process following Ivan’s passing most certainly put a strain on everyone involved. Employees were working extended hours to complete essential tasks knowing their homes and families were in disarray due to the storm. Credit must go to these individuals who displayed great dedication in combining their resources and know-how in seeing this project through to fruition. 

Time was short and strict deadlines had to be met but it goes to show what challenges can be overcome through teamwork and resilience. It’s also satisfying to know that following the storm and in keeping with goals of the Environmental Management System, the Company was able to continue to do something positive towards protecting the environment,” Mr. Parchment remarked. 

He further encouraged other local companies to study the impact of their operations on the environment and, whenever possible, address environmental issues in the development of their corporate strategies.

The task of designing and constructing the flat racks for exporting the wire was assigned to the Company’s Production & Engineering Division with the Stores and Facilities Maintenance departments assisting where needed.

Commenting on the environmental aspects of recycling this scrap wire, David Watler, Manager, Production Maintenance and CUC’s Environmental Management Systems Representative added, “Our environmental policy states that the Company is committed to the conservation of natural resources and the prevention of pollution.

By recycling large quantities of aluminium and copper wire damaged by the hurricane, which would otherwise be sent to the landfill, we are preventing additional pollution to the landfill and conserving raw materials such as aluminium and copper.”

CUC plans to resume regular shipments of scrap wire to Tampa once the difficulty with shipping to and from the Island subsides. In the meantime, attempts are being made to recycle other salvaged materials associated with the generation of electricity such as transformers and pole line hardware.

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