Today, extending the lifespan of technology—defined as the period during which a particular technology is in actual use—through maintenance and repair is often regarded as an act of environmentalism. This sustainable practice can help reduce the wasteful impact of capitalist economies. But what happens when we look closer at the materials used to prolong the life of technology—materials that themselves have significant environmental impacts? Among these materials are chemicals that were (and still are) used in various paints and preservatives to slow the decay of wooden objects, such as poles or ship hulls (Dhawan, 2021). One notable example from telephone history is the use of creosote, a coal-tar oil, for impregnating wooden telephone and telegraph poles. When the telephone system was established in Luxembourg in the late 1880s, the PTT Luxembourg initially used untreated wooden poles sourced from domestic suppliers. However, these untreated poles lasted only three to five years before requiring replacement—an expensive and sometimes dangerous maintenance practice. In contrast, imported poles preserved with creosote had an average lifespan of 18 years (Krebs & Mossop, unpublished). For PTT Luxembourg, the use of creosote represented a form of preventive maintenance. It prevented line failures and reduced the risk of work accidents caused by broken poles. From a business perspective, this was a sustainable practice that significantly lowered the overall maintenance costs of aerial lines. However, from an environmental standpoint, the practice was far from sustainable. Creosote and similar chemicals are hazardous to the environment, and their production and application posed serious health and environmental risks. Workers at production sites and individuals who came into contact with creosote-treated wooden objects faced significant exposure risks (Meiske, under review). To date, we know very little about the use of such chemicals in the telephone industry. However, it is clear that creosote continues to contaminate former production and usage sites, leaving a toxic legacy that demands further investigation.
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