WATER PIPELINES PIPA says pipes are long-life products made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable, and recyclable.
The key to long-lasting plastic pipes and fittings Plastic pipes and fittings have transformed the way we live, delivering essential services and utilities to our homes and communities.
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cross a range of industries, from civil and domestic infrastructure to agriculture, mining and gas, plastic pipes and fittings play a critical role. They’re effective, efficient, and safe. The Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA) was founded in 1999 and is the peak industry body representing manufacturers and suppliers of plastic pipes and fittings, plastic resin suppliers, fabricators, pipeline installers, rubber seal ring manufacturers along with 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. This is achieved through its four key pillars: advocacy, education, technology and sustainability. Executive General Manager Cindy Bray says that by collaborating with its members, industry professionals and global counterparts, the company leverages the latest insights and technology to develop robust guidelines for best practice manufacture, installation, and use of plastic pipeline systems. “Underpinning our approach is a commitment to future-focused leadership. Through research, education, technical expertise, and advocacy, we help advance the use of plastic pipes and fittings as a smart, efficient, and sustainable solution,” she says.
Our sustainability story Not all plastics are the same and too often plastics pipe systems are mistakenly put in the same category as single use plastics. PIPA and its
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members are acutely aware of the very real problem society faces with plastic pollution resulting from its inappropriate disposal, the growing pressure to reduce its reliance on short-lived, single-use products and the drive to increase levels of postconsumer and pre-consumer plastic recycling. To help educate across a wide range of audiences PIPA has developed key messages to tell its sustainability story.
Plastic pipe systems deliver essential everyday services and utilities
that the properties and performance remain unchanged over the long term. Unlike many plastic packaging applications which have multiple layers of different materials, plastic pipes are made from a single material and therefore easier to recycle.
Safe for people and planet Plastic pipes provide the highest level of safety for carrying drinking water. They don’t contain phthalates or heavy metals and are manufactured to Australian Standards.
Have you considered the vital role plastic pipes play with human, social, economic, and environmental sustainability? “They bring drinking water, gas and electricity to our homes and communities; protect the network of wires and cables that deliver internet and communication services; and are used in irrigation systems that are essential for growing food and carry away sewerage, rainwater and stormwater – protecting our communities,” Bray says.
Engineered products designed to last Pipes are long-life products, not single use, made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable, and recyclable. Plastic pipes can have a service life longer than 100 years, making engineered polymer materials the prefect choice for infrastructure applications. Plastic pipes are a durable product remaining functional without excessive maintenance or repair. Testing of pipes that have been in service for decades has shown
Plastic pipes are made from a single material and are easier to recycle.
The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022
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