Plastics Pipe and the Environment
PIPA aims to help ensure that the environmental impact of plastics pipeline systems throughout their life cycle meets or exceeds legislative and community standards.
The future of the plastic pipeline systems industry is inseparable from the national and global pursuit of Sustainable Development. The key concept is to meet the needs of this generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
PIPA is conscious of the need to develop a program to better serve its member companies engaged in the effective integration of the environmental, social and wealth creation elements of plastic pipeline systems development. As part of this program, PIPA members have undertaken several initiatives which include:
- The manufacture of pipeline products with a life expectancy in excess of 100 years.
- Development of new products that consume less raw materials than alternative products, and thus consume less energy through the stages of production, distribution, and working life performance.
- Ensuring that all pipeline products are recyclable.
- Eliminating potentially harmful materials to the environment from plastics formulations.
As a part of PIPA's commitment, frequently asked questions about plastics pipe materials or pipeline systems are answered on the FAQs page. Common questions for PVC relate to sustainability since PVC has come under significant scrutiny due to the interest of green groups. Polyolefins on the other hand have no sustainability issues and questions mainly reflect interest in pipe properties.
Wimmera Mallee Pipeline One Year On
The Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project is massive by any standards. It sees the replacement of around 17,500km of open channel with a pumped delivery system involving some 9000km of pressure pipe. The project is coming up for its first anniversary since construction began in late 2006 and continues to impress with the scale of its achievements.
The article can be found in Wimmera Mallee Pipeline.
PVC Pressure pipe for Water Saving Projects
The completion of the Tungamah and Darling Anabranch schemes and the commencement of the massive Wimmera Mallee pipeline project have again seen PVC as the pipeline material of choice for these major rural water saving initiatives.
Go to the PVC Pressure pipe for Water Saving Projects paper for details.
Australian Water Facts - Did You Know?
Keeping the environment in mind and the currently vital topic of water usage, PIPA has included some interesting facts. Do you know what a sydharb is? Go to Sydney Harbour as a unit of measurement for details.
PLASTICS PIPE SUSTAINABILITY
Plastics pipes are the material of choice for gas, water and sewage reticulation across Australia and indeed the World. The Australian plastics pipe industry is acutely aware of the need to continually improve and implement environmentally sustainable practices. At whatever stage of the products manufacture, use and disposal, the plastics pipe industry will retain its long standing commitment to improving sustainable practices and outcomes, in a way that benefits all Australians.
Plastics pipes have a unique and invaluable role to play with regard to the more effective and efficient use of one of Australia’s most valuable resources - water.
Go to the Sustainable Practices - Sustainable Outcomes paper for details.
WIMMERA MALLEE PIPELINE PROJECT
January 2006
Community leaders in the Wimmera-Mallee have campaigned for many years to change from open channel to a piped water delivery system. Now the first pipes of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project are within sight. GWMWater has recently launched a new website for the WMPP and invite you to visit the website to find out more about this exciting project. The website will be a major communication tool utilised by GWMWater as the project evolves, including tender and other relevant information.
PVC LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
September 2004
A recently released study of environmental life cycle analyses (LCA) of vinyl by the European Commission finds that vinyl can offer environmental benefits equal to or better than those of other materials for a variety of applications.
The studies in the report are European based and PIPA stresses the importance of any differences that occur in the Australian situation.
Product applications play a critical part in LCA studies. The important parameters for pipes (also related to environmental impacts) are flexibility in shapes, durability, weight and leak-tightness, as well as installation and maintenance.
Read a summary of the report at PVC shows environmental benefits in life cycle studies where you can also access the full report.
EMBODIED ENERGY
April 2004
CSIRO was commissioned by Vinidex Pty Ltd to look at the energy coefficient of the manufacture of ductile iron, PE and PVC piping systems. The study is based on linear pipe comparisons to counteract claims made by the ductile iron pipe suppliers who promote that on a mass basis ductile iron shows less energy use in manufacture than plastics. The report, Piping Systems Embodied Energy Analysis, is limited to the energy requirements in the manufacture of the pipe and does not include the energy requirements for transportation from factory to site nor the energy requirements for installation of the pipe.
Read a summary of the report at Plastics Pipe Systems Good for the Environment or study the full report by downloading it in PDF format (227 Kb) Piping Systems Embodied Energy Analysis.
For a definition of Embodied Energy look at CMIT-Brochures-Technologies-Embodied Energy where CMIT stands for CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology.
PLASTIC PIPES FOR WATER CONSERVATION
February 2003
Today it is raining. No one is complaining. The rain is welcome anywhere in Australia. Australians have long been acutely aware of the scarcity of water, particularly in rural and regional communities, dependent upon continued supply in order for industry to remain economically viable.
NSW is at the limits of its available water resources. For example, January 2003 was the driest on record in the Murray catchment with no rain recorded at all. Conditions since July 2002 make this season one of the five driest in the last 100 years. The Bureau of Meteorology lists this region as being in 'severe rainfall deficiency' for the period between April 1, 2002 and January 31, 2003. Rainfall has been less than five per cent of historical totals in that time
Various potential solutions to drought-proof Australia have been canvassed in the media over the last few months. Two specific areas PIPA can provide invaluable assistance to the structural problems of water conservation and transportation are in capping and piping artesian bores and enclosing open ditch irrigation channels. To this end PIPA has already communicated with government departments outlining the benefits obtained from utilising the unique properties of plastic pipe systems for a responsible and structural solution to the issues. Positive responses have been received from both Federal and State departments.
Capping and Piping Artesian Bores
The Great Artesian Basin covers approximately one fifth of Australia and underlies Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Free flowing bores dot the whole of the Great Artesian Basin contributing to water wastage and decreasing pressure. Capping and piping water to strategic watering points on properties significantly reduces water wastage.
Details of this project and PIPA's recommendations are found under
Capping and Piping Artesian Bores.
Enclosing open ditch irrigation channels
As water is a scarce resource, the costs of water are increasing. The challenge for irrigators is to maximise the productivity and returns of their irrigated enterprise while minimising water use. Recycling and increasing the efficiency of irrigation water use means less impact on groundwater, salinity and river health. The Pratt Water Group has been asking the federal and NSW governments to fund a feasibility study that would also look at on-farm monitoring of water use, management of irrigation, and different irrigation methods. The proposal has real merit and PIPA comments on the issue of proposed pipeline materials.
Details of this project and PIPA's recommendations are found under
Enclosing open ditch irrigation channels.
Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia Limited
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