TPi July 2009

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developmentsproducts &
26 Tube Products International July 2009
Polyethylene barrier pipe systems will
have an increasing influence on the way
the UK treats contaminated land for
brownfield developments. Their ability
to deliver clean, untainted drinking water
and offer relatively high sustainability
is well suited to growing reclamation
technologies that treat contamination
on-site.
The latest market analysis predicts
that excavation and removal will
remain the most common approach to
contaminated land remediation for the
next five years. However, the market for
other remediation methods is expected
to grow by 37% over the same period,
marking the rise of techniques that are
more environmentally responsible than
‘dig and dump’.
A landfill tax for contaminated land
waste, if imposed, could swing the
balance of costs away from removal and
in favour of on-site remediation.
Contractors will then find it easier to
promote the environmental advantages
of containment techniques, which,
by treating land in situ, cut out
transportation costs and prepare the
area for development more quickly than
soil removal.
Any residual risk of tainting
to drinking water supplies
can be avoided in treated
(or untreated) land by
installing protected water
pipes.
The two systems
dominating this market
are (a) polyethylene barrier
pipe, such as the GPS PE
Pipe Systems’ Protecta-
Line, which incorporates
an impermeable aluminium
barrier layer within the
polyethylene, and (b) wrapped metal
pipes. The only UK industry standard
for potable water pipe systems in
contaminated land isWIS 4-32-19, which
defines performance characteristics and
specifies contaminant protection limits
for the polyethylene barrier pipe and
compatible fittings. The GPS Protecta-
Line system gives the peace of mind of
complying with this standard.
AlthoughPEbarrier pipeswerepreviously
only available in sizes up to 180mm, the
Protecta-Line range now extends to
355mm, adding choice where previously
there was only wrapped metallic pipe.
In terms of energy efficiency, carbon
footprint and the whole-life costs
of owning a pipe system, PE offers
advantages.
Even considering the fossil fuel used
as raw material, PE systems are less
demanding of energy and resources
than metallic equivalents. Being light in
weight and available coiled or straight,
PE pipes are easy to transport and
install. In many instances, trenchless
installation technologies, such as slip
lining, can be used to reduce disruption
to traffic and infrastructure.
Freedom from corrosion ensures good
hydraulic characteristics, minimising
water losses and pumping costs over
the lifetime of the system.
At the end of its useful service life a PE
barrier pipe system can be recycled
using approximately a third of the energy
required to rework metal pipes.
Comparative calculations show that
using a polyethylene pipe system
reduces typical installed costs by as
much as 70% and whole life costs by
at least 45%.
When these benefits are considered
alongside theadvantagesof containment
techniques over dig and dump, the
combination weighs heavily in favour of
adopting a more sustainable approach
to brownfield development.
Information supplied by Richard Graty,
marketing manager, GPS PE Pipe
Systems
GPS PE Pipe Systems – UK
PE below-ground barrier pipes
score on sustainability
Products from the Protecta-Line range from GPS PE Pipe Systems S S
Protecta-Line incorporates an impermeable aluminium S S
barrier layer within the polyethylene