TPi September 2013

plast ic pipes and tubes

Sustainability of plastic pipes A new study by the independent Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), funded by the European plastic pipes industry, has found that plastics are more sustainable than alternative materials for piping systems. of Environmental Product Declarations in accordance with prEN 15942 to help communicate a product’s overall environmental impact.

• Potential for eutrophication, which arises from of the over-fertilisation of water and soil by nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorous). This speeds up plant growth and kills off animal life in lakes and waterways • Potential for contributing to global warming (carbon footprint): the insulating effect of greenhouse gases – CO 2 and methane – in the atmosphere is a major contributor to global warming, affecting both human health and that of the ecosystem in which we live • Potential for ozone-depletion: depletion of the ozone layer in the atmosphere caused by the emission of chemical foaming and cleaning agents allows the passage of greater levels of UV radiations from the sun, causing skin cancer and reducing crop yields • Potential for photochemical oxidation, where the photochemical reaction of sunlight with primary air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides leads to chemical smogs that affect human health, food crops and the ecosystem in general. Different types of pipe systems need different types of performance characteristics. These are met by a range of alternative materials and different classes of plastics. From this study, direct comparisons were made between polypropylene or PVC plastic pipes and ductile iron pipes in soil and waste pipe systems; polyethylene or PVC plastic pipes and ductile iron pipes in pressurised water distribution systems; three different types of PVC or polypropylene plastic pipes and concrete pipes in non-pressure sewage systems; and cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) or multilayer PE-PEX/AI/PE-PEX plastic pipes and copper pipes in hot and cold solid wall systems. The study was conclusive in favour of plastic pipe systems. Across the whole range of applications assessed it was found that, on average, the use of plastic-based pipe systems reduces the environmental footprint compared to alternative materials by two thirds.

TEPPFA represents manufacturers of plastic pipe systems and national pipe trade associations across Europe. The trade association has developed a set of independently verified Environmental Production Declarations covering the main types of plastic pipe systems, based on up-to-date LCA data. These Life Cycle Assessments were prepared by VITO following ISO standard 14025 methodology. VITO’s findings were then independently validated by another sustainable development institute, Denkstatt GmbH in Austria, again following ISO 14025 methodology.

The results indicate that, on average, plastic pipes have an environmental footprint that is two thirds less than pipe systems made from materials such as concrete, copper or ductile iron. “Plastic pipes are generally acknowledged to be easier to install, less expensive, more durable and more innovative than the alternatives, but we now have conclusive scientific evidence that they also have less impact on the environment than other materials,” commented Hans Telgen, chairman of TEPPFA, the European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association. To make a fair comparison between different types of material and determine the environmental impacts of different products, each stage of their lifecycle was tested and analysed. Comparisons have to bemade according to recognised ISO standards using the same functional unit for each compared material in a particular application. ‘Environmental footprints’ can be either adverse or beneficial. Adverse effects such as emitting greenhouse gases may arise in either the product’s production or disposal process; beneficial effects help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by saving energy while the product is in use. A scientifically based full Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a widely accepted, standardised method for comparing the environmental impacts of different products or services. This type of assessment typically involves systematically collecting and evaluating quantitative data on the inputs and outputs of material, energy and waste flows associated with a product over its entire life cycle. A whole range of processes need to be assessed to calculate overall impacts, beginning with the manufacturing of raw materials, to transforming them into products, continuing through the product’s transportation and installation, the product’s lifetime of use and, ultimately, the product’s disposal or re-processing at the end of life. The findings of LCA assessments are published in the form

The study involved collecting data on plastic pipe systems from companies covering more than 50 per cent of the European market. Data for comparable alternative material piping systems (concrete, ductile iron and copper) was based on publicly available information. The environmental impact of each pipe material was assessed against six different criteria across its full life cycle: • Abiotic depletion: the over-extraction of minerals, fossil fuels and other non-living, non-renewable materials, which can lead to exhaustion of natural resources • Acidification potential: emissions such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from manufacturing processes result in acid rain, which harms soil, water supplies, human and animal organisms, and the ecosystem

TEPPFA – Belgium info@teppfa.org www.teppfa.eu

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Tube Products International September 2013

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