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Abstract

Life Cycle and Cost Analysis of Eco-Friendly Telecommunication Poles: From Waste to Infrastructure †

by
Hector Gabriel Vieira Nunes
1,*,
Inês Costa
1,
Bruno Silva
1,
Diogo Martins
2,
Bruno Rodrigues
3,
Rui Gonçalves
3 and
Catarina Basto-Silva
1
1
Centre for Innovation in Polymer Engineering (PIEP), 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
2
Ucomposites A/S, 4793 Bogoe, Denmark
3
Resifluxo, 4820-101 Fafe, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Presented at the 11th World Sustainability Forum (WSF11), Barcelona, Spain, 2–3 October 2025.
Proceedings 2025, 131(1), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025131060
Published: 27 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Proceedings of The 11th World Sustainability Forum (WSF11))
Versions Notes

Telecommunications are essential to modern society, enabling real-time information exchange, connecting people, and driving economic and social development. Poles play a crucial role in supporting this network by providing the physical infrastructure for overhead cable distribution. However, these conventional poles are mainly produced with wood and/or concrete, which can have a significant environmental impact throughout their life cycle, from resource extraction to end-of-life. Therefore, finding more sustainable solutions in pole manufacturing is vital to reduce environmental impact and enhance the eco-efficiency of telecommunication systems. The study aims to evaluate and compare the environmental and economic performance of eco-poles produced from plastic waste with those made from concrete.
The environmental and economic performance was evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodology, which follows the International Standard Rules (ISO) 14040:2006 [1] and 14044:2006 [2]. Life cycle inventory considered mass allocation and an attributional approach, and the impact assessment method used was the CML-IA (v3.10). Various formulations were optimized, leading to the identification of the most suitable formulation, consisting of plastic waste reinforced with recycled fibres. This optimized formulation was tested at a 1/10 scale in a laboratory setting to validate the production process before transitioning to an industrial scale. In the end, the pole at a 1/10 scale presented a better environmental and economic performance than the pole produced with concrete but a comprehensive assessment of a full-scale pole should be performed to determine if this trend persists.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of using plastic waste in pole production, promoting a circular economy and enhancing resource efficiency for a more sustainable infrastructure. In the future, the lifespan of telecommunication poles must be taken into account to choose the best option considering the long-term impact.
This research was supported by the ‘Sustainable Plastics’ Consortium, co-financed by NextGenerationEU.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, H.G.V.N. and I.C.; Methodology, H.G.V.N. and I.C.; Software, I.C.; Validation, C.B.-S. and B.S.; Formal Analysis, I.C.; Investigation, H.G.V.N. and I.C.; Resources, D.M., B.R. and R.G.; Data Curation, D.M., B.R. and R.G.; Writing—Original Draft Preparation, H.G.V.N.; Writing—Review and Editing, I.C. and C.B.-S.; Visualization, B.S.; Supervision, C.B.-S. and B.S.; Project Administration, C.B.-S.; Funding Acquisition, C.B.-S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was developed within the framework of the ‘Sustainable Plastics’ Consortium, co-financed by NextGenerationEU, and reflects the consortium’s mission to accelerate the transition towards a more circular and sustainable plastics economy through applied research and industrial innovation.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are not publicly available due to industrial confidentiality and commercial restrictions but may be provided by the authors upon reasonable request.

Conflicts of Interest

Author Diogo Martins was employed by the company Ucomposites A/S. Authors Bruno Rodrigues and Rui Gonçalves were employed by the company Resifluxo. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

  1. ISO 14040:2006; Environmental Management—Life Cycle Assessment—Principles and Framework. International Organization for Standardization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2006.
  2. ISO 14044:2006; Environmental Management—Life Cycle Assessment—Requirements and Guidelines. International Organization for Standardization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2006.
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Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Nunes, H.G.V.; Costa, I.; Silva, B.; Martins, D.; Rodrigues, B.; Gonçalves, R.; Basto-Silva, C. Life Cycle and Cost Analysis of Eco-Friendly Telecommunication Poles: From Waste to Infrastructure. Proceedings 2025, 131, 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025131060

AMA Style

Nunes HGV, Costa I, Silva B, Martins D, Rodrigues B, Gonçalves R, Basto-Silva C. Life Cycle and Cost Analysis of Eco-Friendly Telecommunication Poles: From Waste to Infrastructure. Proceedings. 2025; 131(1):60. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025131060

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nunes, Hector Gabriel Vieira, Inês Costa, Bruno Silva, Diogo Martins, Bruno Rodrigues, Rui Gonçalves, and Catarina Basto-Silva. 2025. "Life Cycle and Cost Analysis of Eco-Friendly Telecommunication Poles: From Waste to Infrastructure" Proceedings 131, no. 1: 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025131060

APA Style

Nunes, H. G. V., Costa, I., Silva, B., Martins, D., Rodrigues, B., Gonçalves, R., & Basto-Silva, C. (2025). Life Cycle and Cost Analysis of Eco-Friendly Telecommunication Poles: From Waste to Infrastructure. Proceedings, 131(1), 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025131060

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