FOCUS Pipes
Smart, efficient, sustainable plastic pipes
When delivering essential everyday services and utilities, key selling points of plastic pipes include durability, a long service life, high performance, simple installation, energy efficiency, recyclability, and cost-effectiveness. IT’S HARD TO comprehend the vast network of plastic pipelines installed and in operation in Australia and around the world. Most of them are buried and remain in service for more than 100 years. The vat majority of plastic pipeline systems are still in their first life cycle. “Plastic pipe systems are not only an engineered product designed to last a long time, safe for people and the planet but are also the smart choice, using resources responsibly and sustainably,” said the Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA)’s Executive General Manager, Cindy Bray. Plastic pipes are engineered products designed to last Plastic pipes have transformed the way we live. They deliver drinking water, gas, and electricity to homes. Plastic pipes also protect the wires and cables that provide internet services. They’re used in irrigation systems that are essential for growing food and carry away sewerage, rainwater, and stormwater, protecting communities. Long service life is critical for this vital infrastructure we all depend on daily. “The plastic material used in manufacturing pipes is engineered
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to be robust, reliable and recyclable,” said Bray. “They are intended and designed to last a very long time. The engineered polymers used are very stable materials. These properties are ideal for products such as pipes when long life expectancy is required.” Durability is a result of product design A product’s durability is the ability to remain functional without requiring excessive maintenance or repair when used in its regular operation over its design lifetime. “For plastic pipes, it is intended that they can be installed and not require any maintenance or repair for decades, unlike other materials,” Bray said. Plastic pipes can withstand a range of forces. They do not corrode or crack, resist chemical attack, resist abrasion, and maintain a smooth bore for easy fluid flow and better hydraulics. Many studies have been conducted in Australia and around the world showing the long-term performance of plastic pipes in operation, showing no chemical degradation and the pipe’s integrity still intact. These studies can be found on the PIPA website.
The majority of today’s plastic pipeline systems are still in their first life cycle.
PVC plastic pipes are designed to last for a very long time.
Plastic pipes are safe for the people and the planet Safe drinking water is one of society’s most essential requirements for health. Most western countries take it for granted, but it is a critically managed resource from collection and storage to distribution. The pipe must provide a watertight system and not contribute to any water contamination. They are also designed not to leach secondary material into the fluid flow, which is essential for drinking water applications. ”Plastic pipe systems provide the highest level of safety for carrying drinking water,” said Bray. “All plastic pressure pipes in Australia must conform to the relevant Australian Standards. These Australian product standards mandate pipes and fittings to meet AS/NZS 4020. Testing products for use with drinking water is arguably the most rigorous