The Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA) talks about the benefits of plastic pipes and their importance to the environment.
As Australia transitions from a lineal to a circular economy, plastic pipes have many advantages over alternative materials and are becoming a preferred material of choice to replace and upgrade pipes throughout the world.
Cindy Bray, Executive General Manager of the Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA), says plastic pipes align with the key principles of a circular economy – they’re designed minimising waste and pollution, are kept in use for a long time, and can be repaired and recycled.
“They are intended and designed to last a very long time,” Cindy says.
“In typical environmental conditions, plastics materials are well known to remain functional in excess of 100 years, without requiring excess maintenance or repair, when used and installed correctly.”
PIPA was founded in 1999, representing manufacturers and suppliers of plastics pipe and fittings, plastic resin suppliers, fabricators, pipeline installations, rubber seal ring manufacturers as well as training and certification bodies.
As a non-profit association, PIPA works to promote the appropriate and contemporary use of plastic pipes and fittings throughout Australia through its four key pillars: advocate, educate, technical and sustainability.
A key focus area for PIPA is education about the differences between plastic pipes and fittings to other plastics, such as single use.
Cindy says that too often plastics pipe systems are mistakenly put in the same category as single use plastics.
“Pipes are not single use, they’re long-life products made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable and recyclable,” she says.
PIPA recently launched a digital campaign, That’s using plastic for good, to help further educate on the positive use of plastics and differentiate plastic pipes from single use plastic.
Cindy says it’s an awareness campaign, targeted to those outside of the industry, to highlight the essential role pipes play in everyday life.
Durable design
A key element of a circular economy is product design. Cindy says for plastic pipes, it is intended that they be installed and not require any maintenance or repair for decades, unlike other materials.
“Plastic pipes withstand the forces they are subjected to, they do not corrode or crack, resist chemical attack, resist abrasion, and maintain a smooth bore for easy fluid flow and better hydraulics,” she says.
“They are also designed not to leach secondary material into the fluid flow, which is important for drinking water applications. Plastic pipes are safe for people and the planet.”
Many studies conducted in Australia and globally show the long-term performance of plastic pipes in operation. These studies can be found on the PIPA website.
“Plastic pipes offer clear advantages regarding chemical resistance over other pipe options,” Cindy says. “They are not affected by soil environments that are highly corrosive to metal and concretes.
“They are not affected by compounds that form in wastewater, such as acids that rapidly degrade iron and cement lined pipes, making them the ideal choice for long-term infrastructure.
“They also have the lowest overall failure rates in water infrastructure compared to cast iron, ductile iron, steel, and asbestos cement.”
Cindy says lightweight plastic pipes can have advantages during transportation, including increased pipes per truckload and installation, compared to other pipe materials.
“For open trench installation, plant equipment is minimised compared to heavier pipe materials, which can increase lay rates and reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” she says.
“The versatility of plastic pipe systems allows for the option for trenchless installation as well, particularly with polyethylene pipe. This allows for fewer disruptions during the installation or repair of existing pipelines allowing flexibility and cost-effective installation and lowing the impact on the environment and community.”
Another benefit noted by Cindy is plastic pipes’ positive effect on the environment.
“Plastic pipes’ long-term, leak-free integrity can prevent water loss, protecting the health of sensitive waterways and minimising flood risk,” she says. “As a leak-free system, they eliminate the effect of erosion around the system. Plastic pipes have the flexibility to cope with soil movements and subsidence and protect the natural pH of streams and estuarine environments, reducing the likelihood of algal blooms and fish kills.”
Closing the loop
As part of the industry’s commitment to sustainable practices, Cindy says PIPA and its members aim to recycle the maximum amount of usable plastic pipe and other suitable materials into new plastic pipes.
“Due to the low volume of plastic pipes in the waste streams, PIPA and its members are taking practical steps to minimise the impact of plastic pollution,” she says. “Working collaboratively with waste management companies, distributors of products and specific clients, plastic pipes at their end of useful life are collected for recycling.
“PIPA has also established a Plastics Pipes Recycling Program working with various partners across Australia to provide information and locations for end users to deliver their no longer needed pipes and fittings.”
In addition to PIPA’s recycling program, PIPA published a discussion paper on the use of recycled materials in plastic pipes and an industry technical guideline, POP208 Specification and Testing Guidelines for recycled materials suitable for non-pressure plastic pipe applications.
“This document defines specification and testing requirements for recycled material and products which incorporate recycled material, it’s a valuable resource that we want to use,” Cindy says.
“Outlining the material characteristics and performance criteria required when using recycled materials, this guidance is extremely important to ensure materials recovered are reprocessed correctly. It’s also important for the end product to have a long service life.”
Education
Engaging with industry stakeholders within the plumbing sector, Cindy says PIPA established education and pilot programs to increase awareness of the sustainability of plastic pipes and develop the behaviours of appropriate disposal of offcuts.
“Programs can educate and provide the industry with valuable insights, behaviours and a greater understanding of the volume of available plastic pipe offcuts and fittings from building, construction sites and education training facilities,” she says.
“These include the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme in Queensland and the Plumbing Industry Plastic Recycling Scheme in Western Australia.
“This data will enable us to paint a true picture of material available, enable us to expand these types of programs more broadly and support better consumer investment and policy decisions.”
The Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme is currently in phase three and expands over 40 locations, including regional areas. This initiative is supported by the Queensland Government’s Recycling and Jobs Fund.
Cindy says success of these programs can only be achieved through collaboration of all key stakeholders within the industry from associations, manufacturers and merchants through to end users.
“Everyone has a responsibility and a role to play in diverting plastic pipes and fittings from landfill to contribute to a responsible and sustainable future,” she says. “These programs provide PIPA the chance to visit TAFEs and training colleges to speak with apprentices at the beginning of their careers.
“They can discuss sustainability, and the recyclability of plastic pipes while encouraging them to continue the conversation about appropriate disposal when they are out of the classroom and back on site.
“Through the whole lifecycle – manufacturing, use and disposal the plastic pipe industry has and will retain its long-standing commitment to improving sustainable practices and outcomes, in a way that benefits all Australians.”
For more information, www.pipa.com.au
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