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PIPA aims to enhance the knowledge and awareness of contemporary plastics pipeline technologies amongst specifiers, users and installers.
As a part of PIPA's commitment, frequently asked questions about plastics pipe materials or pipeline systems are answered on the FAQs page, which can be accessed from the Technical, Environment and Application pages.
As a further example of PIPA's commitment, a page has been devoted to the recycling of plastics pipe. After the successful trial, the plastics pipes recycling from demolition and construction waste has been established in three states of Australia. The Plastics Pipe Recycling page, which can be accessed from all the main pages of this site.
BEP PVC Certified products now available 
Best Environmental Practice (BEP) PVC pipe products are now available fully certified from four PIPA members – Iplex, Vinidex, Pipemakers and Australian Plastic Profiles. All three pipe manufacturers have been independently audited to confirm their products meet the GBCA BEP requirements.
Iplex , Vinidex, Pipemakers and Australian Plastic Profiles now offer a large range of PVC pipe products certified to the BEP requirements. The range of products includes - DWV, Stormwater, pressure pipe (including oriented PVC),sewer pipe, electrical and communications conduit.
It’s not just the pipe manufacturers within PIPA that are involved - Australian Vinyls Corporation have had their material certified as meeting the requirements of the BEP criteria upstream of pipe manufacture and ApprovalMark have played a significant role in auditing several manufacturers.
Congratulations to all for reaching this milestone - further demonstrating the commitment of PIPA members to developing sustainable solutions with plastics pipe.
For information about pipe product availability contact:
Iplex Pipelines
Vinidex
Pipemakers
Australian Plastic Profiles
To source compliant raw material contact:
Australian Vinyls
For product certification audits contact:
ApprovalMark
Green Star Compliant PVC pipe now available
The Australian Standards for PVC pipe are currently being revised to include the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Best Environmental Practice (BEP) guidelines for PVC pipe. In the interim the GBCA will accept manufacturers declarations of compliance for pipe on a project specific basis. Both Vinidex and Iplex can now supply compliant product meeting the GBCA requirements. For more details about the availability and supply of these BEP PVC pipes please contact Vinidex - www.vinidex.com.au or Iplex - www.iplex.com.au.
More Information about PVC and Green Star
Increasing awareness of the recent changes affecting PVC pipe in the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Green Star rating tool has resulted in several commonly asked questions being directed to PIPA members. The three documents linked below should address many of these questions. The first is a list of answers to frequently asked questions about these changes. The second provides a brief background to the change and the process the GBCA undertook in viewing the PVC credit and the final document highlights some of the key features of Australian PVC pipe.
Spreading the Good News
PIPA Executive General Manager Mark Heathcote recently met with key staff from building industry organisations and government building and construction authorities to alert them to the changes to the Green Building Council Australia (GBCA) Green Star rating tool.
After a significant review by GBCA into best practice PVC - which included appointing an Expert Reference Panel (ERP), inspections of Australian PVC production facilities and extensive review of international literature - Green Star no longer encourages the substitution of PVC pipe.
The review of the rating tool means there is now potential to accrue an additional two credit points in Green Star when using certified best practice PVC products. This change to the rating system is recognition of the significant developments in modern manufacturing of PVC pipe, including its ability to be recycled.
The GBCA press release on the change to the Green Start rating system can be found at http://www.gbca.org.au/media-centre/gbca-media-releases/new-credit-encourages-best-practice-pvc-production-in-australia/2906.htm
GBCA announces changes to the PVC credit in Green Star
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) announced on 15 January 2010 the outcome of their review of the PVC material credit in the Green Star Rating tool. The changes being introduced by the GBCA are the culmination of a long and rigorous review of PVC in the built environment. This review has been comprehensive taking over 18 months to complete involving an expert reference panel assembled by the GBCA, inspections of Australian facilities and an extensive international literature review.
The outcome will see the GBCA move away from the negative credit approach currently in place and instead adopt a positive reward where suitably certified PVC products (including pipe and conduit) can attract points under the Green Star rating system. These products will be independently third party certified as meeting the “best practice requirements” as defined by the GBCA.
The following is an extract from the press release quoting GBCA CEO Romilly Madew outlining the reasons and justification for the proposed new approach;
“Rewarding best practice PVC products within the Green Star rating system will stimulate demand for best practice, responsibly-produced PVC products in Australia,” said Ms Madew. A series of Expert Reference Panel meetings, site visits, discussions with key stakeholders, and examination of international studies had shown that the lifecycle of PVC, from raw materials and production through use to end-of-life, recycling and disposal has changed considerably in the past five years, Ms Madew explained.
The GBCA press release can be read in full by visiting their website http://www.gbca.org.au/.
The GBCA are to be commended for taking this action as it not only recognises advances in the PVC industry generally and the Australian pipe sector in particular but also provides a framework that will continue to encourage and reward best practice product design in the future.
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