Home Sponsored Content That’s using plastic for good

That’s using plastic for good

Sponsored Content

That’s using plastic for good

by Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia

April 15, 2024

Not all plastics are the same. Take engineered plastic pipes. Unlike single use plastics, plastic pipes are long-life products, not single use, made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable, recyclable with a service life in excess of 100 years.

PIPA’s Technical Guidelines POP208 “Specification and Testing Guidelines for recycled materials suitable for non-pressure plastic pipe applications” provides guidance on ensuring recovered materials are reprocessed and testing correctly.

It’s hard to comprehend the vast network of plastic pipelines installed and in operation here in Australia and worldwide. Most of them are buried, out of sight yet delivering our essential everyday services and utilities to our homes and communities, remaining in service for more than 100 years. With the increased focus on reducing our environmental footprint and transitioning from a lineal to a circular economy, plastic pipes have many advantages over alternative materials.

Aligning with the key principles of a circular economy, plastic pipes are designed minimising waste and pollution, are designed to be kept in use for a long time and can be repaired and recycled.

One of the key focus areas for PIPA is to educate on the differences between plastic pipes and fittings to other plastics, like single use.

Programs such as the Construction Plastics Recycling Scheme in Queensland not only educates but also provides the industry with valuable insights behaviours and greater understanding of the volume of available plastic pipe offcuts and fittings from building, construction sites and education training facilities.

Executive General Manager, Cindy Bray explained “Not all plastics are the same and too often plastics pipe systems are mistakenly put in the same category as single use plastics. Pipes are long-life products, not single use, made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable, recyclable with a service life in excess of 100 years.”

Taking responsibility now and into the future

Although there is low volume to recover due to the long life and integrity of plastic pipes systems PIPA and its members are taking practical, meaningful steps to minimise the impact of plastic pollution. We are working together with broader industry to divert suitable plastic material from landfill into long-life, recycled pipe products that meet the relevant Australian and International Standards.

*Declaring our environmental footprint with Environmental Product Declarations. Setting our benchmarks to focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts.*

There is already now capacity to increase the use of recycled material across a range of non-pressure pipe products when suitable waste stream volumes become available – we already have the solution.

The plastic pipe industry is proud of their environmental sustainability initiatives from best-practice material sourcing, manufacturing – with processes designed to reuse any scrap materials to make other pipes, end-of-life product stewardship and other recycling programs.

Find out more about PIPA and to view our resources visit www.pipa.com.au

Engineered plastic pipes are designed for long life, are resilient, sustainable, and recyclable, performing a vital role in Australia. They deliver our drinking water and safely carry away sewerage, rainwater, and stormwater, protecting our environment. Plastic pipes are safe for people and the planet.